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Andrew  Carnegie 


Copyright  by  Viinder-weyde 

MR.  CARNEGIE   IX   HIS   LIBRARY,   DICTATING  TO   HIS   SECRETARY 


Andrew  Carnegie 


The  Man  and  His  Work 


By 

Bernard  Alderson 


♦ « 


•  <».">    »  > 


New  York 

Doubleday,  Page  &  Co, 

1905 


Copyrieht,  igol 
By  DOUBLEDAY,  PAGE  &  COMPANY 

Published  November.  igo£ 


•  • •• •  • 


PREFACE 

A  KEYNOTE  to  the  true  description  of  a  rich  man 
who  does  good  with  his  money  is  struck  by 
Ruskin  when  he  defines  wealth  to  be  "the  possession 
of  the  valuable  by  the  valiant" ;  for,  as  he  goes  on  to 
say,  "that  man  is  the  richest  who,  having  perfected 
the  fimction  of  his  own  life,  has  also  the  widest 
helpful  interest." 

These  words  apply  with  singular  fitness  to  Andrew 
Carnegie.  /The  story  of  his  life  is  a  record  of  high  aims 
and  strenuous  endeavor,  disclosing  constant  indica- 
tions of  a  master  mind;  so  that  the  rising  generation, 
as  they  follow  the  gradual  growth  of  his  fortunes,  and 
the  development  of  his  character,  may  gather  from  an 
account  of  the  winning  of  his  wealth  a  strong  incentive 
to  courageous  enterprise,  and  also  appreciate  the  inten- 
tion of  his  pithy  paradox,  "A  man  who  dies  rich  dies 
disgraced"*^ 

Who  can  fail  to  admire  that  firm  purpose  to  complete 
his  duties  as  he  interprets  them,  which  has  reached  a 
noble  climax  in  the  fixed  determination  to  put  his  mil- 
lions to  the  most  beneficial  use  ?  He  is  anxious  abo\'e 
all  things  to  prevent  this  mint  of  money  from  doing 
harm,  by  disbursing  it  worthily  during  his  lifetime,  and 

vii 


226724 


viii  PREFACE 

although  he  must  accept  the  penalties  with  the  pleas- 
ures of  his  prominent  position,  he  can  well  afford  to 
disregard  petty  criticism. 

**  Wealth,"  said  Gladstone,  *'is  the  business  of  the 
world";  and  when  he  added,  "the  enormous  power 
which  it  possesses  has  been  used  on  the  whole  well," 
we  cannot  doubt  that  he  had  in  his  mind  this  great 
millionaire  for  whom  he  frequently  expressed  a  warm 
regard,  and  whose  "Gospel  of  Wealth"  he  reviewed 
in  the  glowing  terms  which  are  quoted  in  these  pages. 

Mr.  Carnegie,  himself  a  thorough  and  thoughtful 
student  of  men  and  manners,  is  heartily  at  one  with  an 
old  writer  who  has  quaintly  asserted  that  "to  amass 
money  and  to  make  no  use  of  it  is  as  senseless  as  to 
hunt  game  and  not  roast  it,"  and  therefore  it  is  one  of 
the  main  purposes  of  this  volume  to  prove  that  he — 
the  self-made  Steel  King — stands  head  and  shoulders 
above  most  of  his  fellow-millionaires,  in  that  he  has 
undertaken  to  distribute  with  his  own  hands,  and  at  his 
own  discretion  after  most  careful  thought,  the  gigantic 
funds  which  he  has  accumulated  by  such  alert  and 
unflinching  industry;  holding  himself  to  be  no  more 
than  a  trustee,  responsible  for  their  application  through 
such  channels,  and  to  such  ends,  as  may  be  expected 
to  enrich  the  minds  and  moral  welfare  of  those  whom 
he  thus  makes  his  heirs. 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTBR 

I.     Birthplace  and  Boyhood 

3 

y,  II.    Stepping-stones 

17 

\>:  III.     Fortune's  Flood 

31 

''^V.    The  Steel  Master    . 

45 

|V  V.     As  an  Employer  of  Labor 

61 

VI.     Conflicts  with  Labor 

77 

VII.     His  Political  Faith 

93 

VIII.     International  Competition 

III 

^  IX.     His  Gospel  of  Wealth     . 

129 

X.     His  Benefactions 

•       153 

XI.    The  Pen  of  a  Ready  Writer 

.       181 

XII.     Obiter  Dicta      . 

•        1 

»  ~— 

.       217 

IX 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

Mr.  Carnbgib  in  His  Library     .         .  Frontispiece 

PACING   PAGB 

Thb  Carnbgib  Home  at  Dunfermline        .        .        26 

Thb  Carnegie  Company's 

Edgar  Thompson  Works 

Homestead  Works  }-      •        •        54 

DuQUESNE  Works 

Carnegie  Institute 80 

Skibo  Castle 108 

Skibo  Castle.    View  from  the  Wood     .         .        .  134 

The  Mansion  in  New  York.     Front  View    .        .  162 

The  Mansion  in  New  York.   Side  and  Rear  View, 

Showing  the  Garden  .         .         .        •         .188 


XI 


Birthplace  and  Boyhood 


Andrew  Carnegie 

THE    MAN    AND     HIS    WORK 


CHAPTER  I 

BIRTHPLACE  AND  BOYHOOD 

ANDREW  CARNEGIE  was  bom  in  Dunfermline  on 
-  November  25,  1837,  the  year  in  which  Queen 
Victoria  ascended  the  throne.  Dunfermline  is  one  of 
Scotland's  oldest  cities,  and  has  been  the  scene  of 
many  famous  episodes  in  Scottish  history.  It  formerly 
contained  one  of  the  richest  abbeys  in  the  land,  but 
to-day  only  the  nave  of  the  church  remains  among 
the  ruins.  In  this  abbey  the  renowned  Malcolm  and 
his  consort  and  seven  other  Scottish  kings  and  five 
queens  are  buried.  Adjacent  to  its  ruins  are  those 
of  the  ancient  royal  palace  in  which  the  hapless 
Charles  I.  was  bom.  What,  however,  endears  Dim- 
fermline  above  everything  else  to  Andrew  Carnegie 
is  not  the  fact  that  it  was  the  burial-place  or  the 
residence  of  Scottish  royalty,  but  that  Robert  Bruce 
was  here  laid  to  rest  in  his  **  winding-sheet  of  cloth 
of  gold." 

3 


4       . — "'    '  'ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

Young  Carnegie  early  began  to  study  the  history  of 
his  native  land,  and  it  was  not  long  before  he  became  a 
hero-worshiper  of  the  most  pronounced  type.  Bruce, 
Wallace  and  Bums  were  exalted  by  his  youthful 
patriotism  to  lofty  thrones  of  veneration ;  the  stricken 
fields  of  Bannockburn  and  Stirling  became  to  him  a 
glorious  heritage.  These  democratic  feelings  of  na- 
tional enthusiasm  were  intensified  by  the  circumstances 
of  the  period.  For  many  years  Scotland  had  suffered 
under  a  tyrannical  system  of  government,  which  had 
created  a  feeling  of  bitter  hatred  against  the  landed 
aristocracy.  Kings  and  nobles  were  looked  upon  as 
mere  puppets,  and  held  in  common  detestation  by  the 
rank  and  file.  A  succession  of  weak  sovereigns  had 
occupied  the  English  throne,  and  by  their  unwise 
actions  had  alienated  the  loyalty  of  the  Scottish  people. 

These  facts  were  early  impressed  on  young  Andrew's 
mind  by  his  uncle,  who  took  care  that  the  boy  should 
have  a  proper  conception  of  Scottish  history.  Andrew 
attended  the  local  school,  but  the  chief  part  of  his 
education  was  given  him  by  his  imcle,  a  man  of  some 
ability,  who  held  extreme  democratic  republican  views, 
which  he  expressed  with  unrestrained  vigor. 

Mr.  Carnegie  says  that  his  political  instincts  were 
first  aroused  by  listening  to  the  speeches  of  his  uncle 
and  father,  who  addressed  in  the  evenings  large 
assemblies  of  the  people.     They  were  the  leaders  of  an 


BIRTHPLACE  AND  BOYHOOD  5 

agitation  for  reform,  and  in  the  course  of  their  speeches 
they  fearlessly  denounced  the  oppression  of  the  English 
Government.  These  sentiments  found  fertile  soil  in 
young  Andrew's    mind.     Many  years  afterward    he 

said : — 

**What  we  learn  at  seven  sticks!  When  I  was  at 
that  age,  I  awoke  one  night  to  hear  my  uncle  had  been 
put  into  jail.  I  knew  there  was  hidden  in  the  attic  a 
rebellious  republican  flag,  for  all  our  family  were 
Chartists,  and  to  this  day  when  I  speak  of  a  king  or 
hereditary  privilege  my  blood  tingles  and  moimts  to 
my  face.  Sometimes — ^and  not  so  many  years  ago — 
I  have  felt  for  a  passing  moment  that  to  shoot  all 
hereditary  kings,  one  after  the  other,  would  not  be  un- 
congenial work,  for  I  hate  hereditary  privileges  with 
a  hate  nothing  else  inspires,  because  I  got  it  at  seven, 
and  it  requires  an  effort  to  keep  it  within  bounds." 

One  of  the  proudest  boasts  he  makes  to-day  is  that 
his  uncle  was  imprisoned  for  upholding  the  rights  of 
the  people,  and  vindicating  the  liberty  of  free  speech. 

For  eleven  years,  during  the  most  impressionable 
period  of  his  life,  Andrew  Carnegie  breathed  this 
atmosphere  so  strongly  charged  with  republican  senti- 
ment. The  lessons  of  that  early  training  were  firmly 
ingrained  upon  his  mind,  and  forty  years  afterward 
we  find  the  natural  result  in  his  book,  "Triumphant 
Democracy."     The  seeds  sown  in  his  boyhood  were 


6  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

destined  to  produce  enduring  fruit.  His  antipathy  to 
royalty  and  the  aristocracy  has  been  to  him  a  consum- 
ing passion.  The  environment  of  his  youth,  and  his 
residence  in  the  United  States,  have  been  chiefly  re- 
sponsible for  this  uncompromising  attitude. 

But  the  condition  and  general  welfare  of  the  masses, 
when  Andrew  Carnegie  was  a  boy,  were  vastly  different 
from  what  they  are  to-day.  He  has  learned  much 
since  his  youth,  and  now  regards  Great  Britain  as  a 
republic,  like  the  United  States,  with  this  distinc- 
tion, that  the  one  is  crowned,  the  other  uncrowned. 
It  is  only  after  years  of  wise  monarchical  government 
that  the  Scottish  people  have  become  animated  with 
that  loyal  devotion  to  the  throne  which  is  now  one  of 
their  distinguishing  characteristics. 

Andrew  Carnegie's  political  convictions  were  thus 

J  formed  by  his  uncle,  but  his  character  and  habits  were 

most  happily  moulded  by  his  mother.     She  was  a 

typical  specimen  of  the  strong-minded,  warm-hearted, 

frugal  Scottish  housewife.     Until  Andrew   was  eight 

years  old  she  attended  to  his  education  and  taught  him 

the  rudiments.     He  was  then  handed  over  to  the  care 

of  the  local  schoolmaster.     Here  is  an  amusing  incident 

of  his  school  life,  which  throws  some  light  on  the  way 

in  which  he  was  brought  up. 

/x       Every  morning  the  lessons  were  preceded  by  some 

l/xeligious  exercises,  and  upon  one  occasion  each  member 


BIRTHPLACE  AND  BOYHOOD  7 

of  the  class  had  to  repeat  a  proverb  from  the  Bible.    \ 
When  it  came  to  Andrew's  turn  he  stood  up  and  boldly 
proclaimed,  **Take  care  of  your  pence,  the  pounds  will 
take  care  of  themselves. ' '    This  was  not  quite  orthodox, 
but  it  illustrated  how  the  famous  maxim  had  been     \ 
drilled  into  the  lad's  mind  by  his  mother. 

Andrew  Carnegie  must  be  included  in  the  long  list 
of  illustrious  men  whose  success  in  life  has  been  largely 
due  to  the  greatest  of  all  blessings  a  youth  can  have — 
a  wise  and  good  mother.     His  devotion  to  her  was 
exceedingly  strong.     She  was  the  guardian  angel  of  his 
life — his  "saint,"  as  he  always  called  her.     In  every 
trouble  and  sorrow  she  was  his  helper  and  comforter,     \ 
and  in  every  difficulty  and  perplexity  his  guide  and    / 
counselor.     Her    strong   loving   influence  supportecy 
him  through  all  the  severe  strain  of  his  strenuous 
struggle  for  success.     It  was  her  practical  sympathy\ 
and    cheerful    encouragement    which    sustained    his 
youthful  strength  and  ambition  during  the  darkest 
days.     Never  for  one  moment  has  he  forgotten  what 
she  did  for  him.     He  has  often  said  he  can  never 
adequately  estimate  all  that  he  owes  to  her  strong  will, 
her  far-seeing  judgment,   and  her  loving,   motherly 
sympathy. 

When  he  became  possessed  of  great  wealth  she  still 
remained  his  constant  companion,  and  accompanied 
him  on  all  his  holidays,  both  at  home  and  abroad. 


8  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

While  she  lived  he  remained  single,  choosing  to  lavish 
upon  her  all  the  love  and  reverence  of  his  nature. 
Now  that  she  has  passed  away,  he  is  never  tired  of 
singing  her  praises  and  of  recalling  her  goodness. 
This  deep  attachment  and  unbroken  fidelity  to  his 
mother  is  one  of  the  strongest  features  of  Andrew 
Carnegie's  character,  and  herein  he  has  set  a  worthy 
example  to  every  youth  who  desires  to  become  a  true 
man. 

His  mother,  he  once  remarked,  was  the  mainspring 
of  all  his  hopes.  For  her  he  worked,  for  her  sake  alone 
he  sought  to  acquire  wealth,  so  that  her  old  age  might 
be  spent  in  comfort  and  in  peace.  To  his  great  joy 
she  lived  to  the  ripe  old  age  of  eighty. 
-^  The  little  homestead  at  Dunfermline  derived  its 
livelihood  from  the  staple  industry  of  the  town. 
Andrew's  father  was  a  master  weaver,  and  as  the  owner 
of  four  damask  looms  and  an  employer  of  apprentices 
he  was  looked  upon  as  a  prosperous  business  man. 
Those  were  the  days  of  the  hand  looms,  when  the  trade 
in  cloth  was  done  through  merchants,  who  issued  their 
orders  to  master  weavers  and  supplied  them  with  the 
raw  material. 

The  introduction  of  the  steam  loom  effected  a  com- 
plete change  in  these  conditions.  The  old  methods 
could  not  successfully  compete  with  the  new  steam 
loom  and  the  factory  system  of   labor.     This  trade 


BIRTHPLACE  AND  BOYHOOD  9 

revolution  cast  a  shadow  over  Mr.  Carnegie's  home 
and  future  prospects.  His  business  rapidly  dwindled, 
and  eventually  became  unprofitable.  For  a  time  he 
struggled  manfully  against  these  adverse  forces,  but 
he  had  at  last  to  give  way. 

One  day  he  returned  from  delivering  some  goods  to 
say  that  he  could  get  no  further  orders,  and  turning  to 
his  children  he  said,  "Andy,  I  have  no  more  work.'* 
It  is  in  the  irony  of  things  that  the  youngster  should 
have  felt  in  his  boyhood  the  cruel  effect  of  those 
forces  of  competition  and  enterprise  of  which,  in  later 
years,  he  was  to  be  the  stanchest  champion,  and  which 
were  destined  to  bring  him  such  enormous  wealth. 

*  *  No  more  work  ! ' '  The  keen-witted  boy  knew  what 
that  meant,  and  the  news,  with  all  its  significance 
and  tmspeakable  misery,  sank  deep  into  his  childish 
heart.  He  there  and  then  resolved  that  he  would 
strive  with  all  his  strength  to  drive  the  wolf  of  poverty 
from  his  home.  It  was  but  the  impetuous  resolution 
of  a  boy  of  ten,  yet  it  was  the  spark  of  a  strong 
determination  which  had  suddenly  been  kindled  in 
his  nature,  and  which  never  ceased  to  exert  its  influ- 
ence, urging  him  on  through  many  youthful  trials  to 
ultimate  success. 

Andrew's  father  was  placed  in  a  difficult  position. 
It  was  useless  to  move  to  another  town,  for  the  same 
conditions  prevailed  everywhere.     A  family   council 


lo  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

was  held,  and  it  was  decided,  after  some  hesitation, 
to  follow  the  example  of  some  relatives,  who,  a  few 
years  before,  had  emigrated  to  Pittsburgh,  America, 
where  they  had  met  with  encouraging  success. 

The  parents,  no  doubt,  could  have  managed  very 
well  in  the  old  country,  but  for  the  sake  of  their  two 
boys  they  decided  to  take  all  the  risks  and  endure  all 
the  hardships  of  emigration.  The  crossing  of  the 
Atlantic  in  the  sailing  vessels  of  those  days  was  a 
rough  experience,  and  the  discomforts  of  a  journey 
from  New  York  to  Pittsburgh  were  by  no  means 
insignificant.  Such  considerations,  however,  did  not 
weigh  much  with  these  hardy  Scotch  folk. 

The  hand  looms  and  the  business  were  sold  and 
preparations  made  for  the  long  voyage.  The  wrench 
from  their  native  town,  and  the  breaking  up  of  their 
home  and  friendly  associations,  proved  very  hard  and 
trying;  and  in  after  years  Andrew  Carnegie  gave 
proof  of  his  attachment  to  his  birthplace  when  he 
said:  "What  Benares  is  to  the  Hindoo,  Mecca  to  the 
Mohammedan,  Jerusalem  to  the  Christian,  all  that 
and  more  Dunfermline  is  to  me." 

In  1848,  the  year  of  the  overthrow  of  kingship  in 
France,  this  young  king-hater  and  his  family  set  sail 
for  the  republic  across  the  Atlantic.  The  little  party — 
father,  mother,  Andrew,  and  his  yotmger  brother  Tom 
— embarked  at  Broomielaw,  Glasgow,  on  the  800-ton 


BIRTHPLACE  AND  BOYHOOD  ii 

sailing  vessel  Wiscassett,  and  thus  entered  upon  their 
seven  weeks'  voyage  to  the  land  of  promise — poor 
emigrants,  in  quest  of  fortune.  Little  did  they  think 
as  they  saw  the  shores  of  bonnie  Scotland  receding  in 
the  distance  that  some  day  one  of  their  number  would 
return  from  the  quest  and  "bring  his  sheaves  with 
him." 

Young  Andy  had  plenty  of  time  to  find  his  sea  legs, 
and  he  thoroughly  enjoyed  the  voyage,  and  the  liking 
for  the  sea  then  awakened  has  always  remained  one 
of  his  greatest  delights.  He  was  only  eleven  years  old 
at  the  time,  but  he  has  distinct  recollections  of  that 
parting  from  the  old  country  and  the  launch  out  into 
a  new  life  in  the  Western  world. 

.  The  family  reached  Pittsburgh  safely,  and  imme- 
diately settled  down.  Mr.  Carnegie  obtained  work  at 
a  cotton  factory  in  the  town,  and  when  twelve  years  old 
Andrew  began  his  business  career  as  a  bobbin  boy  at  a 
dollar  and  twenty  cents  a  week.  The  fact  that  he  could 
now  contribute  toward  the  family  expenses  filled  him 
with  intense  satisfaction. 

"I  was  no  longer,"  he  writes,  "dependent  upon  my 
parents,  but  at  last  admitted  to  the  family  partnership 
as  a  contributing  member,  and  able  to  help  them.  I 
think  this  makes  a  man  out  of  a  boy  sooner  than  any- 
thing else — and  a  real  man,  too,  if  there  be  any  germ 
of  true  manliness  in  him.     It  is  everything  to  feel  that 


12  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

you  are  useful.  I  have  had  to  deal  with  great  sums, 
many  millions  of  dollars  have  since  passed  through  my 
hands,  but  putting  all  these  together,  and  considering 
money-making  as  a  means  of  pleasure-giving,  or  of 
that  other  feeling  much  deeper  than  pleasure — of 
genuine  satisfaction,  I  tell  you  that  one  dollar  and 
twenty  cents  outweighs  all.  It  was  the  direct  reward 
of  honest  manual  labor;  it  represented  a  week  of  very 
hard  work — so  hard  that,  but  for  the  aim  and  end 
which  sanctified  it,  slavery  might  not  be  too  strong 
a  term  to  describe  it." 

His  hours  for  one  so  young  were  exceedingly  long, 
and  it  is  no  wonder  he  has  retained  such  a  vivid  recol- 
lection of  the  hardships  of  child  labor.  From  early 
morn  till  dewy  eve — ^from  dark  to  dark — with  but  an 
interval  of  forty  minutes  for  his  dinner,  he  slaved  away 
at  his  uncongenial  task.  His  next  situation  proved 
even  more  laborious  and  responsible,  and  nothing  but 
strong  determination  and  persistent  ambition  could 
have  stood  the  test.  His  work  was  to  fire  the  boiler 
and  nm  the  steam-engine  which  drove  the  machinery 
of  a  small  factory.  For  a  boy  of  thirteen  this  was, 
indeed,  an  onerous  position,  and  the  heavy  strain  of 
the  work  soon  began  to  affect  his  health  and  to  tell 
upon  his  nerves.  Even  in  his  sleep  he  was  haunted 
by  the  dread  possibility  of  calamity,  and  during  the 
night  would  vaguely  reach  forth  his  hand  to  test  the 


BIRTHPLACE  AND  BOYHOOD  13 

water-gauge.     One  false  move  he  knew  might  cause 
the  whole  place  to  be  blown  to  atoms. 

Those  were  dark  days  for  the  young  aspirant,  but 
he  had  not  a  thought  of  burdening  his  home  with  his 
troubles.  Cheerfulness  almost  amounted  to  a  religion  > 
in  that  little  household,  and  each  member  strove  to 
put  aside  all  disturbing  thoughts.  He  was  blessed 
with  a  spirit  of  keen,  dogged  determination.  The 
flame  of  his  ambition — most  precious  of  gifts — ^burned 
brightly  within  him,  and  although  his  surroundings 
must  have  filled  him  with  despair,  he  never  showed  the 
white  flag,  but  always  had  confidence  in  his  future. 
"I  was  young  and  had  my  dreams;  and  something 
within  me  always  told  me  that  this  would  not  last,  and 
that  I  should  soon  get  into  a  better  position."  With 
Nil  desperandum  for  his  motto,  he  became  a  confirmed 
and  plucky  little  optimist. 

The  other  members  of  his  family,  including  his 
mother,  were  toiling  hard,  but  when  they  gathered  to- 
gether in  the  evenings  all  showed  their  brightest  spirits, 
and  kept  their  personal  worries  and  sorrows  to  them- 
selves. His  home  was  a  very  happy  one,  full  of  sweet- 
ness and  love,  and  to  this  day  he  cherishes  its  memories. 

**  I  always  pity  the  sons  and  daughters  of  rich  men," 
he  said  many  years  afterward,  "who  are  attended  by 
servants,  and  have  governesses  at  a  later  age,  but  they 
do  not  know  what  they  have  missed.    They  have 


i 


14  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

fathers  and  mothers — and  very  kind  fathers  and 
mothers  too — and  they  think  that  they  enjoy  the 
sweetness  of  these  blessings  to  the  full,  but  this  they 
cannot  do;  for  the  poor  boy  who  has  in  his  father  his 
constant  companion,  tutor  and  model,  and  in  his 
mother — ^holy  name — his  nurse,  teacher,  guardian 
angel,  saint,  all  in  one,  has  a  richer,  more  precious  for- 
tune in  life  than  any  rich  man's  son  can  possibly  know, 
and  compared  with  which  all  other  fortunes  count  for 
little.  It  is  because  I  know  how  sweet  and  happy  and 
pure  the  home  of  honest  poverty  is,  how  free  from  care, 
from  quarrels,  how  loving  and  united  its  members, 
that  I  sympathize  with  the  rich  man's  boy  and  con- 
gratulate the  poor  man's  boy ;  and  it  is  for  these  reasons 
that  from  the  ranks  of  the  poor  the  great  and  good 
have  always  sprung,  and  always  must  spring.  It 
seems  nowadays  a  matter  of  universal  desire  that 
poverty  should  be  abolished.  We  should  be  quite 
willing  to  abolish  luxury,  but  to  abolish  poverty  would 
be  to  destroy  the  only  soil  upon  which  mankind  can 
depend  to  produce  those  virtues  which  can  alone 
enable  our  race  to  reach  a  still  higher  civilization  than 
it  now  possesses." 


Stepping-Stones 


CHAPTER   II 

STEPPING-STONES 

ANDREW  CARNEGIE  is  not  an  example  to  quote 
in  illustration  of  the  proverb,  "A  rolling  stone 
gathers  no  moss."  He  has  referred  with  scorn  to  the 
precept,  "  Stick  to  your  last,"  which  he  seems  to  think 
equivalent  to  "Stick  in  the  mud,"  and  therefore  not 
the  motto  he  would  recommend  to  a  youth  who 
desires  to  make  progress. 

At  fourteen  ne  made  his  third  change,  and  forsook 
the  dismal  task  of  stoking  for  the  healthier  and 
brighter  work  of  a  telegraph  boy.  This  was  his  first 
step  forward,  which  he  was  able  to  take  through  the 
kindness  of  Mr.  J.  Douglas  Reed,  a  Dunfermline  gentle- 
man who  had  gone  out  to  the  States  early  in  life  and 
made  a  name  for  himself  in  the  telegraph  service. 
When  he  heard  that  Mr.  Carnegie's  family  had  also 
come  from  far-off  Dimfermline,  he  promised  the  father 
that  he  would  give  "Andy"  a  berth,  and  during  the 
whole  time  he  was  in  the  telegraph  service  he  did  all 
he  could  to  help  him  forward. 

The  changed  conditions  and  healthy  environment  of 
his  new  work  filled  "Andy"  with  the  greatest  happi- 
ness.    He  was  like  a  caged  bird  set  free.     Penned  up 

17 


i8  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

as  he  had  been  in  the  reeking  atmosphere  of  an  engine- 
room,  a  life  in  the  open  air  seemed  an  ideal  existence. 
It  was,  he  said,  *'a  transference  from  the  darkness  to 
light,  from  the  desert  to  paradise." 

When  he  found  himself  amidst  books  and  newspapers, 
and  was  privileged  to  use  pen  and  ink  in  the  course  of 
his  daily  round,  the  common  task  immediately  began 
to  glow  with  promise,  and  he  considered  himself  in  his 
new  sphere  the  happiest  boy  alive.  This  youthful 
joy  was  the  first  evidence  of  the  strong  attachment  Mr. 
Carnegie  has  always  shown  for  figures  and  writing.  A 
telegraph  office  is  not  the  place  where  one  would  expect 
to  find  the  germs  of  literary  inspiration,  but  it  was 
while  carrying  out  the  duties  of  telegraph  messenger 
that  young  Carnegie  first  entertained  the  hope  of  some 
day  writing  articles  and  books  himself. 

Having  secured  this  congenial  position,  with  a  salary 
of  three  dollars  a  week,  he  was  greatly  troubled  lest 
he  should  lose  it.  He  entered  upon  his  new  work  with 
two  drawbacks:  his  health  had  been  impaired  by  the 
strain  of  his  former  occupation,  and  he  was  unac- 
quainted with  the  commercial  quarters  of  the  city — a 
defect  which  he  feared  would  hinder  him  in  making  his 
deliveries.  So  he  set  himself  to  remedy  it  without 
delay,  and  eventually  overcame  the  difficulty  by  calling 
into  use  his  excellent  memory.  With  characteristic 
determination  he  resolved  to  learn  by  heart  the  names 


STEPPING-STONES  19 

of  all  the  business  houses  in  the  principal  streets.  Soon 
he  was  able  to  shut  his  eyes  and  repeat  in  correct  order 
the  names  of  the  firms  on  one  side  of  the  street  and  of 
those  on  the  other.     "  Then,"  he  says,  "  I  felt  safe." 

When  he  had  successfully  overcome  this  difficulty 
another  presented  itself.  One  of  the  duties  of  a  tele- 
graph boy  in  those  primitive  days  was  to  climb  the 
poles  whenever  a  stoppage  occurred  and  bring  the 
wire  down  to  be  repaired.  Try  how  he  would,  and  he 
tells  us  he  tried  very  hard,  he  could  not  accomplish 
this  feat.  He  was  not  an  expert  in  athletics,  and  could 
always  place  more  reliance  on  his  brains  than  on  his 
muscles. 

As  it  happened,  his  climbing  abilities  were  never 
put  to  the  test,  and  he  escaped  the  awful  ordeal  he 
had  so  much  dreaded. 

A*he  way  in  which  the  young  telegraph  messenger 
gained  his  next  promotion  is  in  keeping  with  his  whole 
career.  Before  the  operators  arrived  in  the  morning, 
it  was  the  custom  of  the  telegraph  boys  to  practise  on 
the  instruments  by  commimicating  with  other  boys 
along  the  lines.  Young  Carnegie  took  full  advantage 
of  this  opportunity,  jt  "He  was  by  nature  well  equipped 
for  the  work,  having  a  marvelous  ear  for  sound  and 
being  wonderfully  expert  in  distinguishing  notes  and 
tones.  All  the  messages  in  those  days  were  read,  but 
young  Andrew  was  quick  to  see  the  immense  advantage 


20  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

of  taking  them  by  sound.  Mr.  J.  D.  Reed,  in  his  '*  His- 
tory of  the  Telegraph,'*  referring  to  Andrew  Carnegie 
at  this  time,  says:  **  I  liked  the  boy's  looks,  and  it  was 
very  easy  to  see  that  though  he  was  little  he  was  full 
of  spirit.  He  had  not  been  with  me  a  month  when  he 
began  to  ask  whether  I  would  teach  him  to  telegraph. 
I  began  to  instruct  him,  and  found  him  an  apt  pupil. 
He  spent  all  his  spare  time  in  practise,  sending  and 
receiving  by  sound,  not  by  tape,  as  was  largely  the 
custom  in  those  days.  Soon  he  could  do  as  well  as 
nwself." 
JLj^  It  was  not  long  ere  an  opportunity  came  for  Andrew 
/  to  use  his  knowledge.  One  morning  while  he  was 
practising  a  death  message  was  signaled  from  Phila- 
delphia. Death  messages  were  considered  of  great 
importance,  but  the  opening  was  too  good  to  be  lost, 
and  confident  in  his  powers  Andrew  attended  to  the 
call.  When  the  operator  arrived  he  found  the  message 
transcribed,  and,  moreover,  it  was  perfectly  correct. 
This  clever  piece  of  work  brought  young  Andrew  into 
notice,  and  proved  for  him  the  first  stepping-stone  to 
success.  Shortly  afterwards  he  was  promoted  to  the 
position  of  an  operator,  with  a  salary  of  three  hundred 
dollars  a  year.^r 

He  had  long  looked  forward  to  the  time  when  he 
should  draw  such  a  sum,  for  he  had  regarded  it  as  the 
ideal  standard  of  comfort.     For  a  youth  of  sixteen  it 


STEPPING-STONES  21 

was  indeed  a  promising  start.  This  advance  came  at 
an  opportune  moment,  for  his  father  had  recently  died, 
and  the  burden  of  maintaining  the  home  now  fell 
chiefly  upon  his  youthful  shoulders. 

The  following  incident  illustrates  the  confidence 
reposed  in  him  by  those  with  whom  he  came  in  contact. 
Pittsburgh  had  a  supply  of  six  newspapers,  and  they  all 
drew  their  information  from  the  same  telegraphic 
service.  The  copyist  offered  yoimg  Andrew  a  dollar  a 
week  if  he  would  do  the  transcribing.  The  offer  was 
accepted.  He  had  always  desired  to  see  some  of  his 
own  handiwork  in  the  papers,  and  he  liked  to  be  brought 
in  contact  with  the  young  fellows  connected  with  the 
press.  The  extra  dollar  a  week  he  thus  earned  he 
looked  upon  as  ''pure  business,"  inasmuch  as  it  repre- 
sented a  transaction  entirely  on  his  own  account,  and 
therefore  he  felt  justified  in  retaining  the  remuneration 
for  his  own  use.     This  was  his  first  bit  of  capital. 

Everything  yotmg  Carnegie  was  set  to  do  he  did 
with  all  his  might,  and  there  was  no  half-heartedness 
or  indolence  in  his  work. 

Naturally  such  a  diligent  young  man  could  not  long 
remain  unnoticed  in  a  position  which  brought  him  into 
contact  with  the  principal  business  men  of  the  city. 
One  of  those  who  frequently  visited  the  telegraph 
office  was  Mr.  Thomas  A.  Scott,  Superintendent  of 
the  Pittsburgh  Division  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad. 


2  2  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

Young  Carnegie  happened  to  be  the  operator  through 
whom  he  sent  most  of  his  messages,  and  his  keen  eye 
singled  him  out  as  a  yoimg  fellow  of  unusual  promise. 
Accordingly,  he  spoke  to  him  one  day  about  his 
work,  and  offered  him  a  situation  as  operator  in  the 
service  of  the  railway  company  at  an  advance  of  ten 
dollars  per  month  on  the  salary  he  was  then  receiving. 
Yotmg  Carnegie,  knowing  full  well  the  kind  of  man 
who  had  made  the  offer,  promptly  accepted  it. 

He  soon  foimd  that  his  new  position  gave  him  more 
scope  for  the  development  of  his  gifts  and  the  exercise 
of  his  energies,  and  it  was  not  long  before  he  had  made 
himself  a  favorite  with  his  chief  and  won  his  confidence 
both  as  employer  and  friend. 

/One  day  Mr.  Scott  called  Andrew  aside  and  informed 
him  that  an  excellent  investment  was  open  if  he  could 
obtain  five  htmdred  dollars.  Owing  to  the  death  of  the 
owner,  there  was  an  opportunity  to  acquire  ten  shares 
in  the  Adams  Express  Company.  The  shares  were 
of  the  value  of  sixty  dollars  each,  and  Mr.  Scott  volun- 
teered to  advance  one  himdred  dollars  if  Andrew  could 
find  the  rest.  The  young  operator  knew  it  must  be  a 
genuine  opportunity,  as  his  chief  had  offered  it,  and 
his  business  instinct  urged  him  to  accept  it.  So  he  an- 
swered "Yes,*'  though  at  the  time  he  had  no  idea  where 
the  money  was  to  be  foimd.  The  door  had  been  opened 
for  a  business  investment,  and  immediate  advantage 


STEPPING-STONES  23 

must,  he  felt,  be  taken  of  the  golden  opportunity.  The 
fact  that  the  money  was  not  ready  for  immediate 
handling  did  not  deter  him.  He  knew  there  was  one 
member  f^f  the  family  whose  financial  genius  had 
surmounted  many  difficulties  in  the  past,  and  he  had 
abtmdant  faith  that  she  would  devise  some  scheme  for 
procuring  the  needful  sum.^ 

A  family  council  wasJ'  held  the  same  evening,  and 
when  Andrew  had  explained  all,  his  mother,  ever  on 
the  lookout  to  help  her  industrious  son,  replied:  '*It 
must  be  done.  We  must  mortgage  the  house.  I  will 
take  the  steamer  in  the  morning  for  Ohio,  and  see 
uncle  and  ask  him  to  arrange  it."  Her  ability,  pluck 
and  resource  triumphed.  The  visit  proved  successful, 
and  the  money  was  obtained.  The  shares  were  bought, 
and  the  little  home  mortgaged  "to  give  our  boy  a 
start." 

Mr.  Carnegie  refers  to  this  incident  in  glowing  terms. 
His  mother  was  the  exalted  ideal  "of  his  youth,  and  he 
says  he  can  never  adequately  express  what  he  owes  to 
her  constant  love  and  wonderful  business  sagacity. 
"She  succeeded.  Where  did  she  ever  fail?"  he  once 
remarked. 

/it  was  her  indefatigable  energy,  sound  judgment 
and  strong  character  which  laid  the  comer-stone  of  his 
successful  career.  It  is  plainly  evident  that  Andrew 
Carnegie  inherited  his  genius  for  finance  and  his  great 


24  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

commercial  ability  from  his  mothey  who  little  thought 
at  the  time  that  her  boy  would  one  'day  control  millions, 
and  have  at  his  disposal  more  hard  cash  than  any  other 

%g  man. 
lis  small  transaction  was  destined  to  prove  the 
forerunner  of  a  long  series  of  gigantic  deals.  All  Mr. 
Carnegie's  investments  have  yielded  good  returns,  but 
this  does  not  by  any  means  signify  that  any  young 
man  who  can  borrow  five  hundred  dollars  will  lay  the 
basis  of  a  great  fortune,  for,  where  one  speculation 
succeeds,  a  hundred  end  in  miserable  heart-breaking 
failures.  Mr.  Carnegie  was  fortunate  in  making  several 
lucrative  investments^Jbut  his  fortune  has  not  been 
amassed  by  speculation,  or  gambling;  it  is  the  solid 
outcome  of  hardwork,TndusTfial genius  and  unflagging 
jgerseverance.  He  has  never  bought  nor  SQld^.a.share  of 
stock  on  the  Exchange.yF 

The  Adams  Express  Company  paid  monthly  divi- 
dends of  one  per  cent.,  and  in  due  course  the  young 
investor  received  his  first  checque,  which  gave  him 
boundless  delight. 

In  his  new  position  he  took  keen  interest  in  his  work ; 
step  by  step  he  mastered  every  detail,  and  gradually 
acquired  a  comprehensive  knowledge  of  the  whole 
system.  One  morning  Mr.  Scott  was  late  in  arriving 
at  the  office,  and  in  his  absence  an  accident  had  occurred 
on  one  of  the  lines,  and  a  very  critical  condition  had 


STEPPING-STONES  25 

arisen  which  needed  prompt  and  decisive  action.  His 
knowledge  enabled  Carnegie  to  grasp  the  situation  at 
once,  and  he  took  immediate  action.  There  was  only- 
one  track,  and  the  freight  trains  were  on  the  sidings 
along  the  line,  waiting  for  the  express,  which  had  the 
right  of  way.  He  wired  to  the  conductor  of  the  express 
that  he  was  going  to  give  the  freight  trains  three  hours 
and  forty  minutes  of  his  time,  and  asked  for  a  reply. 
He  then  wired  to  the  conductor  of  each  freight  train 
and  started  the  whole  of  them.  The  telegrams  were 
signed  'Thomas  A.  Scott." 

Mr.  Scott  thoroughly  appreciated  the  ability  dis- 
played by  his  yotmg  lieutenant.  He  recognized  that 
he  could  be  depended  upon  at  a  crisis,  and  thence- 
forth regarded  him  as  his  right-hand  man.  Andrew 
was  now  Mr.  Scott's  private  secretary,  and  gradually 
a  strong  affection  arose  between  the  railway  chief 
and  his  protege. 

When  the  Civil  War  broke  out  Mr.  Scott  was  made 
Assistant-Secretary  of  War.  Andrew  Carnegie  had 
just  entered  his  twenty-fourth  year,  and  the  position 
given  him  by  his  chief  was  a  very  responsible  one.  He 
had  to  see  to  the  transport  of  the  troops  and  stores, 
and  generally  to  supervise  the  network  of  railways 
and  telegraphs.  The  Confederates  had  already  done 
considerable  damage,  but  although  the  work  was 
arduous  he  manfully  stuck  to  his  post, working  indef ati- 


26  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

gably  night  and  day.  Precision  of  movement,  prompt- 
ness and  punctuality  in  the  arrival  and  departure  of 
the  traffic,  avoidance  of  muddle,  and  instant  attention 
to  stoppages  and  breakdowns — ^these  things  required 
a  clear  head  and  nerves  of  steel. 

Curiously  enough,  although  he  did  no  actual  fighting 
he  was  the  third  man  wounded  in  the  war.  A  tele- 
graph wire  which  had  been  pinned  to  the  ground,  upon 
being  loosened  suddenly  sprang  up  and  cut  a  severe 
gash  on  his  cheek,  but  he  did  not  allow  the  injury  to 
affect  his  duties.  He  was  present  at  several  battles, 
and  at  Bull  Run  was  one  of  the  last  to  leave  the  field. 
But  it  was  at  Washington,  in  the  War  Department, 
that  he  had  his  most  interesting  experiences,  and  it 
was  while  engaged  in  his  duties  there  that  he  inaugu- 
rated a  system  of  telegraphing  by  ciphers  which  was 
found  to  be  of  invaluable  service. 

The  carnage,  the  bloodshed  and  the  devastation  of 
the  land  made  so  deep  an  impression  upon  his  mind 
that  he  has  ever  since  had  a  horror  of  war ;  in  season  and 
out  of  season  he  has  been  a  strong  advocate  of  peace, 
and  the  soldier's  profession  is  one  which  he  abhors. 

He  had  no  great  liking  for  his  duties,  and  was  not 

sorry  when  his  chief  returned  to  Pittsburgh  on  June  ist, 

18^2. 

•^^Jt^  ^In   an   endeavor  to  discover  the   factors  of  Mr. 

Carnegie's  success,  one  is  struck  by  the  succession  of 


n 

O   5 

o 

r-    ^ 

•<    « 


STEPPING-STONES  27 

opportunities  that  came  to  him  for  making  money,  and 
the  ^isi^i.  with  which  on  the  one  hand  he  estimated 
their  true  value,  and  the  ^ron^tnes^  with  which  on  the 
other  hand  he  took  advantage  of  them.  The  element 
of  chance  in  his  investments  was  reduced  to  a  minimum, 
and  he  only  put  his  money  into  ventures  with  which 
he  was  practically  acquainted.  This  fact  was  signally 
demonstrated  by  his  next  investment,  y^ 
^Shortly  after  his  return  from  the  war,  while  travel- 
ing on  the  railway,  he  was  accosted  by  a  strange  gentle- 
man who  asked  him  if  he  was  connected  with  the  Penn- 
sylvania Railroad  Company.  On  hearing  that  this  was 
so,  the  stranger  drew  from  a  bag  he  was  carrying  the 
model  of  a  sleeping-car.  Mr.  Carnegie,  in  describing 
the  incident,  says:  "He  did  not  need  to  explain  it  at 
great  length.  I  seemed  to  see  its  value  in  a  flash. 
Railroad  cars  in  which  people  could  sleep  on  long  jour- 
neys— of  course  there  were  no  railroads  across  the 
continent  yet — struck  me  as  being  the  very  thing  for 
this  land  of  magnificent  distances.  I  told  him  I  would 
speak  about  his  model  to  Mr.  Scott,  and  I  did  so 
enthusiastically."  He  went  so  far  in  its  praise  as  to 
assert  that  it  was  "one  of  the  inventions  of  the  age.'* 
Mr.  Scott  saw  the  inventor,  and  the  outcome  of  the 
negotiations  was  that  two  trial  cars  were  run  over  the 
Pennsylvania  Railroad.  They  proved  an  encouraging 
success,  and  it  was  decided  to  form  a  sleeping-car 


28  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

company.  Mr.  Carnegie  was  offered  an  interest,  which 
he  willingly  accepted. 

As  on  the  last  occasion,  so  on  this,  he  was  faced  with 
the  difficulty  of  providing  the  necessary  funds,  which 
in  this  instance  amounted  to  two  hundred  and  twenty 
dollars.  He  applied  to  his  bank,  and  it  was  a  delightful 
surprise  to  him  when  the  manager,  patting  him  on  the 
back,  said,  **You  are  all  right,  Andy,"  and  willingly 
discounted  his  note.  Mr.  Carnegie,  referring  to  this 
incident,  remarks,  "It  is  a  proud  day  for  a  man  when 
)ft  he  pays  his  last  note,  but  not  to  be  named  in  comparison 
with  the  day  in  which  he  makes  his  first  one,  and  gets  a 
banker  to  accept  it.  I  have  tried  both  and  know." 
The  investment  proved  a  lucrative  one,  and  Mr. 
Carnegie  was  enabled  to  pay  the  subsequent  calls  on 
his  stock  out  of  the  dividends  distributed.  The  com- 
pany was  eventually  absorbed  by  the  Pullman  Palace 
Car  Company. 

This  transaction  put  Mr.  Carnegie  in  possession  of  his 
first  substantial  sum  of  capital.  Shortly  afterwards 
he  received  his  last  promotion  as  an  employee  by  his 
appointment  to  be  superintendent  of  the  Pittsburgh 
Division  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroady 


Fortune's  Flood 


CHAPTER  III 

FORTUNE'S   FLOOD 

THE  results  accruing  from  his  investment  in  the 
Woodruff  Sleeping  Car  Company,  added  to  his 
weekly  savings,  placed  Mr.  Carnegie  in  possession  of  a 
fair  sum  of  money.  He  had  repaid  all  the  loans  re- 
ceived from  his  mother  and  his  banker,  and  was  now 
free  to  make  what  use  he  thought  best  of  his  moderate 
capital ;  nor  had  he  long  to  wait  before  an  opening  was 
afforded  for  this.  Andrew  Carnegie  "struck  oil,"  and 
struck  it  to  some  purpose.  From  that  profitable  source 
he  extracted  a  return  that  far  exceeded  his  utmost 
expectations.  He  got  in  almost  at  the  beginning  of  the 
mineral  oil  boom,  when  the  vast  possibilities  of  the  in- 
dustry were  little  understood,  and  the  great  utility  of 
the  product  had  not  been  discovered.  In  conjunction 
with  some  friends,  he  subscribed  toward  the  purchase 
of  the  now  famous  Storey  Farm,  on  Oil  Creek,  which 
was  bought  for  the  sum  of  forty  thousand  dollars.  At 
that  time  the  oil  was  running  into  a  creek  where  lay 
some  flat-bottomed  scows  which  were  fitted  up  for  its 
conveyance.  Upon  a  certain  day  each  week  the  creek 
was  flooded  by  means  of  a  temporary  dam,  and  these 

31 


32  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

scows  were  floated  down  to  the  Alleghany  River.  The 
well  was  then  producing  one  hundred  barrels  daily,  but 
Mr.  Carnegie  doubted  if  this  output  could  be  main- 
tained. It  was  therefore  decided  to  store  up  a  large 
reserve,  which  it  was  hoped  would  command  a  high 
price  in  the  time  of  expected  scarcity.  For  this  purpose 
a  reservoir  was  made  with  a  capacity  of  100,000  barrels, 
or  3,300,000  gallons.  This  was  filled,  and  its  contents 
were  valued  at  $1,000,000,  but  as  the  reservoir  leaked 
very  badly  and  large  losses  occurred  through  evapora- 
tion oil  was  still  allowed  to  run  into  it.  Time  went  on, 
thousands  of  barrels  were  sold,  but  still  to  the  surprise 
of  the  proprietors  the  supply  seemed  as  plentiful  as  ever, 
and  at  last  some  idea  of  the  extent  of  the  real  resources 
of  their  property  dawned  upon  them.  The  well,  or 
rather  the  shares  in  it,  reached  a  value  on  the  Stock 
Exchange  of  $5,000,000,  and  in  one  year  the  syndicate 
paid  the  handsome  sum  of  $1,000,000  in  cash  divi- 
dends— certainly  an  astonishing  return  on  an  invest- 
ment of  $40,000. 

When  he  joined  in  this  oil  venture  Mr.  Carnegie  was 
twenty-seven  years  of  age,  but  though  oil  has  made 
more  than  one  millionaire,  it  was  not  destined  to  be  the 
means  by  which  he  was  to  amass  his  fortune.  Leaving 
the  oil  springs  to  his  contemporary,  Mr.  Rockefeller,  he 
turned  his  energies  in  another  direction.  He  had  not 
long  been  in  his  new  position  of  Superintendent  on 


FORTUNE'S  FLOOD  33 

the  Pittsburgh  Division  of  the  Pennsylvania  Raihoad, 
when  the  company  began  to  make  some  experiments 
with  an  iron  bridge.  Up  to  this  time  bridges  had  been 
made  of  wood,  and  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  was  the 
first  to  give  a  trial  to  another  material.  The  experi- 
ment was  completely  successful,  and  ^aye  rise  to  much 
thought  in  the  mind  of  Mr.  Carnegie. ^?here  had  been 
so  many  delays  on  the  railways  through  bridges  being 
burned  or  broken,  that  he  had  long  ago  come  to  the 
conclusion  that  cast  iron  or  some  other  tough  non- 
inflammable  material  would  have  to  displace  wood  in 
their  construction;  and  after  thoroughly  considering 
the  matter,  he  came  to  the  conclusion  that  there  was  a 
great  opening  for  a  firm  that  could  manufacture  the 
parts  for  iron  bridges/ 

As  usual,  he  had  no  sooner  convinced  himself  that 
the  idea  was  sound  and  promising,  than  he  commenced 
to  look  around  for  ways  and  means  to  put  his  plans 
into  operation.  No  time  was  to  be  lost.  The  future 
steel  manufacturer  was  fully  alive  to  the  truth 
embodied  in  Shakespeare's  famous  lines — 

"There  is  a  tide  in  the  affairs  of  men 
Which,  taken  at  the  flood,  leads  on  to  fortune." 

He  formed  another  syndicate  and  started  the  Key- 
stone Bridge  Works,  ^he  first  large  piece  of  work  done 
by  the  firm  was  to  build  the  great  bridge  over  the  Ohio 
River,  which  has  a  span  of  three  htmdred  feet.     As  Mr. 


34  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

Carnegie  had  foreseen,  the  substitution  of  iron  for 
wood  became  general,  both  in  bridge  building  and  in 
many  other  directions,  and  the  Keystone  Company 
had  soon  largely  to  extend  its  works  for  increased 
production.  Thus  was  laid  the  foundation  of  what  are 
to-day  the  finest  iron  and  steel  works  in  the  world/"/ 

For  many  years  Mr.  Carnegie  had  aspired  to*  enter 
business  on  his  own  account,  and  to  be  the  employer 
of  thousands  of  work-people ;  and  when  he  felt  satisfied 
that  the  prosperity  of  the  new  company  was  assured, 
he  resigned  his  post  with  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad 
Company,  in  whose  service  he  had  risen  from  telegraph 
operator  to  divisional  superintendent.  Having  relin- 
quished his  official  duties,  he  was  free  to  concentrate 
all  his  energy  and  genius  on  the  development  of  his  own 
business,  and  give  full  play  to  his  marvelous  powers 
of  organization.^^radually  the  superior  merits  of  iron 
bridges  became  widely  known.  [  The  Keystone  Com- 
pany were  the  first  in  the  field,  and  as  they  enjoyed 
an  excellent  reputation  for  first-class  workmanship 
and  prompt  delivery,  they  soon  reaped  a  rich  harvestj 
Orders  flowed  in  from  all  quarters,  and  the  increase  of 
business  has  continued  without  a  break  right  up  to  the 
present  time./ 

hMUclq  success  of  the  Keystone  Bridge  Works  was 
achieved  through  the  most  progressive  business 
methods  and  by  the  boldest  and  most  enterprising  inno- 


FORTUNE'S  FLOOD  35 

vationSw/ Mr.  Carnegie  has  always  been  a  man  of  great 
commercial  daring,  although  no  one  could  charge  him 
with  recklessness,  for  all  his  ventures  have  been  pre- 
ceded by  thorough  examination,  and  consideration  of  \ 
the  prospects  of  success.  Once  having  convinced  him- 
self of  the  value  of  an  innovation  or  the  soundness  of  a 
scheme,  he  never  wavered  in  his  purpose,  but,  confident 
in  his  ability,  and  encouraged  by  past  successes,  set 
himself  to  carry  his  enterprises  through  to  a  triumphant 
is^Af  Calling  to  his  aid  every  force  that  could  help 
him  in  any  way,  and  perfecting  his  organization  at  every 
point,  he  was  prompt  to  avail  himself  of  the  discoveries 
of  science^^fHis  works  have  always  been  equipped  with 
the  most  up-to-date  machinery,  while  he  has  met  the 
large  and  continuous  increase  of  business  with  corre- 
spondingly large  extensions  of  his  works.  All  this  was 
accomplished  only  by  the  most  resolute  determination, 
for  he  had  constant  difficulties  to  contend  with.  His 
credit,  however,  was  good.  He  had  succeeded  so  far 
with  everything  he  had  undertaken,  and  this  fact 
aided  him  in  overcoming  the  greatest  obstacle  to  his 
progress,  namely,  the  raising  of  capital. 

Mr.  Carnegie's  next  great  effort,  and  the  one  that 
lifted  him  into  the  position  of  the  foremost  iron  and 
steel  producer  in  the  world,  was  prompted  by  a  dis- 
covery which  he  made  when  on  a  visit  to  England.  This 
was  in  the  year  1868,  just  at  the  time  when  the  Bessemer 


36  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

invention  had  emerged  from  the  experimental  stage 
into  an  accepted  workable  process  of  incalculable 
value  to  the  industrial  world.  Mr.  Carnegie,  of  course, 
had  his  hand  on  it  in  an  instant.  He  learned  that  in 
many  directions,  especially  in  rails,  iron  was  rapidly 
being  displaced  by  the  steel  produced  by  this  new 
process.  To  a  large  iron  founder  this  was  a  matter  of 
vital  importance.  The  necessity  for  substituting  steel 
for  iron  in  the  manufacture  of  rails  had  been  recognized 
for  some  time  by  railway  experts/^  Mr.  Carnegie  him- 
self, when  in  the  service  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad 
Company,  had  suggested  a  process  for  hardening  iron 
rails  by  carbon,  precisely  the  same  as  the  Harvey  pro- 
cess. The  company  spent  $20,000  on  the  experiment, 
which  was  attended  with  excellent  results,  for  the  rails 
turned  out  were  a  great  improvement  on  the  old  ones, 
and  gave  great  satisfaction.  But^he  steel  rails  pro- 
duced by  the  Bessemer  process  were  an  altogether 
superior  product,  and  Mr.  Carnegie  recognized  that  he 
must  at  once  adopt  that  process  in  his  works.  Accord- 
ingly he  acquired  all  the  necessary  knowledge  and 
equipment,  and  immediately  returned  to  America  to 
commence  operations  by  the  erection  of  an  enormous 
plant  for  the  Bessemer  process  of  steel  manufacture. 
As  he  had  been  practically  the  first  in  America  to  recog- 
nize the  immense  superiority  of  iron  over  wood  for 
certain  purposes,  so  now  he  was  the  first  to  realize  the 


FORTUNE'S  FLOOD     ■  .^     37 

great  superiority  of  steel  over  Kxory  J  ustas  ne  had 
reaped  a  rich  harvest  through  his  foresight  in  being 
ready  to  turn  out  iron  bridges,  so  now  he  reaped  an  even 
richer  harvest  in  being  prepared  to  supply  the  sudden 
demand  for  steel  rails^-^ 

In  mentioning  England  as  the  source  from  whence 
this  "Steel  King'*  drew  his  inspiration  to  launch  out 
in  the  direction  of  steel  production,  one  cannot  help 
being  struck  with  the  keen  irony  of  the  circumstance 
in  the  light  of  present  day  competition.  At  this  time 
America  had  not  the  slightest  chance  in  competition 
with  Britain  for  the  markets  of  the  world,  and  thousands 
of  tons  of  iron  and  steel  were  exported  to  the  United 
States  by  Britain  despite  the  high  tariff  duties.  Mr. 
Carnegie  had  little  hope  that  America  could  compete 
with  England  in  neutral  markets,  and  none  that  she 
could  eclipse  her.  Writing  in  1883,  he  expressed  the 
following  opinion:  '*Aj2ieriGar>caxLii]lly_^nder  herself 
.ridiculous  by  entering  the„.water.  That  is  England's 
domain.  The  first  cost  of  a  steel  ship  is  about  one-half 
on  the  Clyde  what  it  is  on  the  Delaware.  Steel  can  be 
made,  and  is  made,  in  Great  Britain  for  one-half  of  its 
cost  here.  Not  in  our  day  will  it  be  wise  for  America 
to  leave  the  land.  It  is  a  very  fair  division  as  it  stands — 
the  land  for  America,  the  sea  for  England."  Nineteen 
years  later,  while  Mr.  Carnegie  is  still  expecting  a  long 
lease  of  life,  Mr.  J.   Pierpont  Morgan  has  surprised 


38  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

England  and  the  world  at  large  by  acquiring  for  Ameri- 
can interests  a  mercantile  marine  of  great  ships  of 
several  lines.  Mr.  Carnegie's  remarks  in  1883  show 
how  utterly  in  the  dark  even  the  most  far-seeing  of 
America's  industrial  leaders  were  regarding  the  vast 
potentialities  of  their  country. 

y/^The  developments  brought  about  by  this  introduction 
of  the  Bessemer  steel  process  were  so  promising  that 
Mr.  Carnegie  found  himself  face  to  face  with  a  remark- 
able situation.  He  had  now  reached  the  supreme  crisis 
in  his  career.  Whatever  course  he  decided  to  adopt, 
either  that  of  resting  on  his  oars  or  of  pressing  forward 
to  further  progress,  was  almost  certain  to  bring  him 
great  wealth.  He  elected  to  advance  and  extend. 
The  next  step  he  took  was  destined  to  revolutionize 
the  industrial  methods  of  the  world,  and  to  put  him 
on  the  road  to  the  acquirement  of  such  a  fortune  as 
would  astonish  mankind.  A  new  era  in  industrial 
history  was  at  hand,  and  why  should  he  not  head  the 

Y^vance  \/ 

I  /^  close  study  of  the  position  convinced  him  that  no 
country  in  the  world  could  better  take  advantage  of 
the  Bessemer  process  than  the  United  States,  with  its 
vast  undeveloped  mineral  resources  and  its  phenomenal 
industrial  growth.  He  drew  up  a  scheme  as  com- 
prehensive as  it  was  daring.  This  involved  nothing 
less  than  the  erection  of  more  great  works  and  the 


FORTUNE'S  FLOOD  39 

acquisition  of  his  own  coal  and  iron  fields  and  of  his 
own  transport  facilities.  It  shows  the  indomitable 
spirit  of  the  man,  and  the  intensity  of  his  ambition,  that 
although  already  the  possessor  of  a  forttme,  he  should 
risk  all  in  grappling  with  such  a  mighty  venture  as  thi^ 
Never  before  had  he  shown  such  energy  and  determina- 
tion. Neither  money  nor  labor  was  spared  in  the 
building  of  the  vast  premises  now  called  the  Edgar 
Thompson  Steel  Works,  across  the  Monongahela  River 
from  Homestead.  The  most  skilled  engineers  available 
were  employed  in  equipping  the  works  with  the  finest 
plant  money  could  buy;  and  to  supplement  this  he 
acquired  vast  tracts  of  land  containing  immeasurable 
mineral  resources.  He  had  to  go  from  700  to 
900  miles  away,  to  the  shores  of  the  Great 
Lakes,  in  order  to  procure  the  bulk  of  his  properties. 
He  followed  this  up  by  purchasing  a  fleet  of  steamers 
to  transport  the  ore  across  the  Great  Lakes;  and  by 
building  his  own  railway  of  about  425  miles  to  carry  it  1 
down  to  his  works  round  Pittsburgh.  "W 

All  the  world  knows  how  splendidly  this  courageous 
enterprise  was  rewarded.  /The  superiority  of  steel 
rails  over  those  made  from  iron  was  speedily  acknowl- 
edged, and  Mr.  Carnegie  was  simply  overwhelmed  with 
orders. /Vast  as  his  output  was,  it  was  totally  inade- 
quate'to  meet  the  demand.  What  he  had  thought 
were  ample  preparations  turned  out  to  be  altogether 


40  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

insufficient.^,^Ie  was  now  determined  to  become  the 
undisputed  master  of  the  steel  market,  and  to  shrink 
from  no  responsibiHty  in  order  to  maintain  his  lead. 

r  It  was  imperative  that  h^  should  largely  increase  his 
productive  capacity^^Y  He"  nad  to  "strike  while  the 
iron  was  hot/*  and  could  not  wait  for  the  erection  of 
fresh  works.  .>ile  therefore  turned  his  attention  to  the 
premises  of  a  rival  concern,  The  Homestead  Steel  Com- 
pany, whose  enormous  foundries  were  close  to  his 
own  works,  and  opened  up  negotiations  with  these 
competitors  which  resulted  in  their  absorption  by  the 
Carnegie  combination. --5^t her  extensions  and  acquisi- 
tions were  made  until,  in  1888,  Mr.  Carnegie  possessed 
no  less  than  seven  great  iron  and  steel  works,  besides 
his  vast  coal  fields,  iron  mines,  railways,  docks  and 
Jieets  of  steamers^ 

— -  Two  hundred  and  fifty  million  dollars  is  a  stupendous 
sum,  but  when  one  considers  the  unique  position  Mr. 
Carnegie  obtained  in  the  greatest  industry  in  the  world, 
it  is  not  surprising  that  he  succeeded  in  amassing  even 
such  a  colossal  fortune.  He  appeared  with  his  mag- 
nificent manufacturing  facilities  just  at  the  period 
when  the  prosperity  of  America  was  in  its  infancy.  The 
unparalleled  railway  extension  in  the  country  had 
scarcely  commenced ;  great  towns  were  springing  up  on 
all  sides,  and  in  every  direction  enormous  quantities 


FORTUNE'S  FLOOD  41 

of  iron  and  steel  were  needed  for  structural  purposes. 
He  had  reduced  the  cost  of  production  to  a  minimum. 
By  means  of  his  railway  and  steamboat  services  he  had 
brought  his  mineral  resources  within  easy  access  of  his 
foundries,  and  had  acquired  every  tool  and_process 
necessary  to  manipulate  with  his  own  materials,  and 
by  his  own  workmen,  the  rough  ore  into  the  finished 
product.  He  was  thus  well  able  to  defy  competition 
from  any  quarter,  and  having  secured  the  home  trade, 
he  stepped  forward  to  invade  the  markets  of  the  world. 
He  extended  his  trade  on  all  sides;  but  vast  as  his 
volume  of  business  was,  and  rapid  as  his  progress  had 
been,  he  was  able,  through  his  wonderful  organization, 
to  keep  his  business  thoroughly  under  control,  so  that 
his  profits  leaped  ahead  at  a  corresponding  rate.  It 
was  a  glorious  triumph  for  skilful  organization  and 
dying  enterprise^/^ 

/it  is  difiicult  to  realize  the  full  extent  of  this  mighty 
'  achievement  and  the  influence  it  has  exerted  on  the 
progress  of  the  world.  No  one  can  deny  such  a  man 
a  tribute  of  the  highest  admiration.  He  is  a  genius  in  \ 
the  most  exact  sense  of  the  word,  and  he  has  used  his  / 
gifts  and  powers  to  stimulate  to  a  remarkable  degree 
the  forward  march  of  civiHzation.  Mr.  Carnegie 
takes  his  place  among  those  giants  of  humanity  who, 
by  the  heights  of  their  attainments,  have  lifted  to  a 


42  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

higher  plane  the  possibilities  of  man,  and  have  forced 
a  point  upward  the  human  standard  of  excellence, 
from  which  succeeding  generations  will  start  forward 
to  further  progress. 


The  Steel  Master 


CHAPTER  IV 

THE  STEEL  MASTER 


M 


iron   and  steel,  towered  head  and  shoulders 


/   TV  yf^'  CARNEGIE,  as  the  undisputed  monarch  of 

above  all  his  rivals.  He  was  the  chief  of  a  trade  com- 
bination that  enjoyed  the  distinction  of  being  the  larg- 
est employer  of  labor  in  the  world/  The  Carnegie  Steel 
Company,  which  was  reconstructed  at  the  beginning  of 
1900  with  a  capital  of  $100,000,000,  owned  three  im- 
mense-works — ^the  Homestead,  the  Edgar  Thompson 
and  the  Duquesne,  and  seven  smaller  ones./  When  in 
full  swing  it  is  estimated  that  this  huge  concern  gave 
employment  to  no  less  than  45,000  work-people,  and  if 
we  reckon  the  small  average  of  five  members  to  a  family 
it  means  that  this  one  firm  controlled  the  happiness  of 
over  225,000  persons.  /  The  works  at  Homestead  alone 
covered  seventy-five  acres  of  land  and  employed  nearly 
4,000  men.  One  who  has  visited  these  works  says: 
"On  first  viewing  Homestead  two  thoughts  are  forced 
upon  a  mind  of  mechanical  bent,  namely,  the  vast 
wealth  necessary  to  build,  equip  and  run  a  plant  of 
such  magnitude ;  and  the  ingenuity  and  skill  required 
to  deviseand  manage  it.'  *  /The  works  were  managed  by 

45 


46  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

experienced  men  of  great  ability,  and  the  workmen  were 
a  highly  skilled  body  second  to  none  in  the  country^/ 
It  was  Mr.  Carnegie's  habit  to  have  mailed  to  him, 
whatever  part  of  the  world  he  might  be,  a  tabulated 
form  ingeniously  devised,  containing  the  details  of  the 
total  product  for  the  day  of  each  and  every  department 
of  the  business.  In  this  way  he  was  able  to  keep  in 
constant  touch  with  the  affairs  of  the  firm.  Every 
Monday  a  meeting  of  the  members  of  the  firm  was  held, 
all  important  matters  were  discussed  and  decided  upon 
there,  and  full  minutes  of  each  meeting  were  regularly 
sent  to  any  absent  member.  As  Mr.  Carnegie  lived  in 
New  York,  this  plan  kept  him  well  informed  on  all 
plans  of  action. 

The  Homestead  mill  manufactured  armor  plates 
for  the  ships  for  the  navy  and  all  kinds  of  structural 
material.  It  contained  twenty  open-hearth  furnaces 
and  two  ten-ton  Bessemer  converters  having  a  daily 
product  of  3,000  tons  of  steel  ingots,  which  were  used 
in  the  manufacture  of  a  great  variety  of  articles,  from 
the  steel  rims  of  a  bicycle  to  the  200-ton  armor 
plates  of  a  battleship.  Here  also  were  constructed  the 
gigantic  steel  frames  for  many  buildings,  and  par- 
ticularly for  **  sky-scrapers."  In  the  manufacturing 
processes  electricity  plays  an  important  part.  This 
valuable  force  was  used  as  the  motive-power  for  moving 
huge  blocks   of  material  and  in  a  hundred  and  one 


THE  STEEL  MASTER  47 

other  ways.  Masses  weighing  two  hundred  tons  and 
more  were  handled  with  ease  by  the  electric  machines, 
all  of  which  were  fed  from  a  single  station,  whence 
wires  extended,  like  the  arteries  in  the  human  body, 
to  the  different  departments.  The  workmen  became 
accustomed  to  the  use  of  the  electric  agent  and  handled 
it  as  confidently  as  they  would  steam  or  water.  In 
every  respect  the  machinery  was  of  the  most  modern 
description,  and  was  supplemented  in  every  possible 
manner  by  the  latest  devices  of  scientific  discovery. 

Next  in  importance  to  the  Homestead  were  the 
Edgar  Thompson  Steel  Works,  situated  on  the  other 
side  of  the  river.  These  were  chiefly  devoted  to  the 
production  of  pig-iron  and  the  manufacture  of  steel 
rails.  The  furnaces  had  a  daily  output  of  2,800  tons  of 
pig-iron,  a  large  part  of  which  was  used  on  the  premises, 
and  the  remainder  transferred  to  Homestead.  The 
rail  mill  was  perhaps  the  finest  in  the  world,  and  was 
capable  of  producing  1,600  tons  of  steel  rails  per  day. 
The  third  large  foundry,  the  Duquense,  on  the 
Monongahela  River,  had  furnaces  that  produced 
in  one  day  as  much  as  the  largest  furnaces  thirty 
years  ago  produced  in  a  week.  They  had  a  capacity 
for  daily  converting  2,000  tons  of  pig-iron  into  billets, 
rails,  sheets,  bars,  etc. 

In  addition  to  these  vast  works  under  Mr.  Camegie*s 
control,  there  were  the  wire  and  nail  mills  at  Beaver 


48  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

Falls ;  the  structural  works  at  Pittsburgh ;  the  Isabella 
furnaces ;  the  Lucy  furnaces ;  and  the  Keystone  Bridge 
Works.  Another  branch  of  the  Carnegie  combination 
was  the  Frick  Coke  Company,  which  was  the  largest  of 
its  kind  in  the  world.  It  owned  coal-bearing  lands  to 
the  extent  of  40,000  acres,  and  in  addition  possessed 
more  than  two-thirds  of  the  famous  Connellsville  coal- 
fields. It  had  an  operating  plant  consisting  of  10,500 
ovens  with  a  possible  daily  output  of  20,000  tons. 
Every  day  a  line  of  railway  trucks  five  miles  long  con- 
veyed the  product  to  the  various  foundries  of  the  firm.* 
The  Carnegie  combination  also  owned  vast  tracts  of 
land,  including  the  richest  iron  ore  mines  on  Lake 
Superior.  It  possessed  a  special  fleet  of  steamers  for  the 
transport  of  the  ore  from  the  mines  on  Lake  Superior 
to  Cleveland  on  Lake  Erie,  a  distance  of  over 
700  miles,  and  had  laid  its  own  private  railway  to 
take  the  ore  from  Cleveland  down  to  its  various  works 
round  Pittsburgh.  The  company  possessed  a  large 
extent  of  natural  gas  bearing  land,  from  which  the  gas 
was  conveyed  in  pipes  to  the  furnaces.  It  had  a  private 
telegraph  system,  and  its  wires  ran  to  all  the  important 
industrial  centres  of  the  country.  Branch  offices  of  the 
firm  were  to  be  found  in  all  the  large  cities  of  America, 
and  its  total  clerical  staff  was  so  numerous  that  at  the 

*  Whese  figures  were  compiled  some  years  ago.    The  productions 
of  all  the  Carnegie  properties  have  largely  increased  since. 


THE  STEEL  MASTER  49 

head  office,  Pittsburgh,  a  hundred  and  fifty  clerks  could 
take  a  vacation  at  one  time  without  causing  any  dis- 
organization of  the  system. 

Xl'he  plant  of  the  Carnegie  works  was  capable  of  pro- 
ducing an  annual  output  in  steel  alone  of  3,000,000 
tons,  of  which  about  two-thirds  would  be  open-hearth 
steel.  This  Titanic  concern  was  held  together  by 
the  most  perfect  organization,  in  which  the  highest 
degree  of  skill  was  employed./ 

Here  are  a  few  facts  to  illustrate  the  wonderful 
administration  of  this  vast  industry.  It  was  possible 
to  transport  ore  from  the  shores  of  Lake  Superior  to 
Pittsburgh,  nearly  a  thousand  miles  away,  and  convert 
it  into  steel  in  ten  days,  despite  the  fact  that  three 
separate  shipments  have  to  be  made !  Some  of  the 
open  mines  at  Lake  Superior  were  capable  of  special 
treatment,  and  for  digging  the  ore  in  these  steam 
shovels  were  used.  One  of  these  shovels  could  load 
a  2  5 -ton  car  in  two  and  one-half  minutes.  The 
shovel  picked  up  five  tons  of  earth  at  every  stroke, 
and  filled  the  car  in  five  operations. 

At  Duluth,  the  western  head  of  Lake  Superior, 
there  were  two  loading  jetties,  each  2,000  feet 
long,  and  rows  of  ore  bins  built  into  these,  each 
holding  from  150  to  170  tons.  The  railroad  ran 
over  these  bins,  and  dropped  down  their  loads 
of  twenty-five  tons,   to  be   subsequently  shot  into 


50  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

the  holds  of  the  ships.  At  these  docks  ore  was 
shipped  at  the  rate  of  i,ooo  to  i,6oo  tons  per  vessel 
per  hour.  A  6,000-ton  vessel,  equal  to  the  capacity 
of  750  8-ton  cars,  could  be  loaded  with  ore 
in  six  hours  or  less.  From  the  Lake  Superior 
district  17,000,000  tons  were  shipped  in  1899.  The 
railway  traffic  from  the  ore-receiving  ports  to  the 
smelting  furnaces,  in  some  cases  extending  to  700 
miles,  was  carried  on  by  mammoth  locomotives, 
some  weighing  127  tons  each,  hauling  1,600  tons  of 
ore  in  thirty  cars — great  steel  trucks  specially  built 
to  carry  about  fifty  tons  apiece. 

At  the  mills  the  blast-furnaces  were  served  by 
a  hoisting  engine  controlled  by  a  single  indi- 
vidual. Here  also  the  Wellman-Seaver  electrical 
charging  machines  were  used.  This  is  the  latest 
mechanical  triumph  of  its  kind,  relieving  human  sinew 
and  muscle  of  the  strain  and  tension  of  heavy  work 
amid  the  terrible  heat  of  the  smelting  furnaces.  It 
traveled  on  rails  past  the  rows  of  furnaces,  and  the 
attendant,  comfortably  seated,  merely  moved  an 
electrical  switch  which  actuated  a  powerful  arm  of 
steel.  This  took  charge  of  pig-iron,  scrap  and  ore, 
which  it  deposited  inside  the  furnaces.  The  machine 
fed  furnace  after  furnace  with  their  requirements  of 
half  a  ton  at  a  time  in  a  few  seconds  each.  The  doors 
of  the  furnaces  were  opened  and  closed  by  water  power. 


THE  STEEL  MASTER  51 

And  so  one  might  continue  to  enumerate  the  vast 
resources  and  the  wonderful  armory  of  this  industrial 
Im^g. 

-;^Such  a  magnificent  aggregation  of  industrial  power 
has  never  before  been  under  the  dominion  of  a  single 
man.  /  This  vast  organization,  with  its  army  of  skilled 
workmen,  was  the  great  stumbling-block  to  the  pro- 
moters when  they  first  schemed  to  create  a  Steel  Trust 
of  such  magnitude  as  would  enable  them  to  dominate 
the  markets  of  the  world.  The  properties  under  Mr. 
Carnegie's  control  were  too  great  and  the  value  of  them 
too  fully  realized  to  allow  of  easy  adjustment  of  owner- 
ship. The  amounts  offered  Mr.  Carnegie  by  the  Trust  / 
organizers  were  entirely  out  of  proportion  to  the  value  1^ 
of  the  property  and  the  negotiations  fell  through  for 
the  time. 

Mr.  Carnegie  announced  his  intention  of  equipping  / 
enormous  works  at  Conneaut,  Ohio,  at  a  cost  of 
$15,000,000,  to  be  devoted  to  special  competition  with 
the  products  of  the  Trust.  He  also  decided  to  build  up 
another  steel  mill  which  should  surpass  in  capacity  any-  ^ 
thing  in  existence.  As  for  the  Trust's  control  of  the  \ 
railways,  he  boldly  declared  that  he  would  construct  J 
his  own  services. 

This  mood,  characteristic  of  the  man,  showed  more 
clearly  than  anything  else  could  his  confidence  in  his 
properties,  and  brought  out  in  strong  relief  the  value 


52  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

of  the  steel  plants.  The  absolute  necessity  became 
evident  that  they  must  be  included  in  the  combination, 
and  an  offer  was  made  Mr.  Carnegie  for  his  interests 
which,  though  so  great  as  to  be  almost  inconceivable, 
is  believed  to  be  in  proper  proportion  to  their  value. 
Mr.  Carnegie  sold  out  on  his  own  terms.  He  received 
for  his  interest  $250,000,000  of  bonds  on  the  Trust's 
properties,  bearing  interest  at  the  rate  of  five  per  cent, 
per  annum. 

In  an  address  to  the  people  of  Pittsburgh,  Mr. 
Carnegie  explained  the  reasons  that  had  prompted  him 
to  retire  from  business,  as  follows :  *  'An  opportunity  to 
retire  from  business  came  to  me  unsought,  which  I  con- 
sidered it  my  duty  to  accept.  My  resolve  was  made  in 
youth  to  retire  before  old  age.  From  what  I  have  seen 
around  me,  I  cannot  doubt  the  wisdom  of  this  course, 
although  the  change  is  great,  even  serious,  and  seldom 
brings  the  happiness  expected.  But  this  is  because  so 
many,  having  abundance  to  retire  upon,  have  so  little 
to  retire  to.  I  have  always  felt  that  old  age  should  be 
spent,  not  as  the  Scotch  say,  in  'makin'  mickle  mair,* 
but  in  making  a  good  use  of  what  has  been  acquired, 
and  I  hope  my  friends  at  Pittsburgh  will  approve  of  my 
action  in  retiring  while  still  in  full  health  and  vigor,  and 
I  can  reasonably  expect  many  years  for  usefulness  in 
fields  which  have  other  than  personal  aims." 

It  must  not  be  understood  for  one  moment  that 


THE  STEEL  MASTER  •  53 

Mr.  Carnegie's  opposition  to  the  Trust  was  actuated  in 
the  slightest  degree  by  any  personal  objection  to  the. 
formation   of    these    mammoth   imdertakings.      The   / 
Carnegie  Company,  of  which  he  was  the  head,  was  in  K^ 
its  way  a  huge  combination ;  and  on  many  occasions  C 
he  has  expressed  the  opinion  that  trusts  are  a  great  \ 
benefit  to  the  community,  and  are  simply  a  result_y 
of  the  advance  of  human  enterprise. 

So  late  as  May,  1901,  he  said:  "All  these  consoli- 
dations of  steel  trusts,  railways  and  steamship  lines 
are  steps  in  advance  of  still  greater  movements  which 
will  distinguish  the  twentieth  century.  This  unifica- 
tion of  transport  by  sea  and  land  is  a  mark  of  genu- 
ine world-progress.  Hereafter  American  railway  lines 
will  be  under  one  interest  from  the  Atlantic  to  the 
Pacific,  and  one  management  in  New  York  will  be  able 
to  fix  rates  to  meet  the  situation.  In  a  short  time  the 
great  tnmk  railways  will  own  steamship  lines  on  the 
Pacific  and  Atlantic,  thus  consolidating  transport  on 
land  and  sea,  and  the  business  of  the  world  will  be 
carried  on  with  but  little  division.  It  would  be 
unwise  not  to  promote  these  movements.'* 

There  is  much  shrewd  common  sense  in  these 
remarks,  but  the  growth  of  these  gigantic  combinations 
has  been  so  rapid  that  widespread  suspicion  exists  as 
to  their  soundness.  If  their  main  object  is  to  be 
to  gain  a  monopoly,  then  they  deserve  to  fail,   for 


54  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

monopolies   are  often  an  industrial  evil  both  to  the 
work-people  and  to  the  community  at  large. 
>^In  surveying  the  phenomenal  success  of  Mr.  Carnegie, 
one's  curiosity  is  aroused  as  to  the  instruments  he  em- 
ployed to  attain  it  and  the  means  by  which  he  exer- 
cised control  over  his  extensive  interests.     The  most 
important  factor  has  undoubtedly  been  his  consummate 
genius  for  organization,  and  almost  on  a  par  with  this 
J3aust-be-placed  his  remarkable  -insigljt  into  human 
nature.  ^Mr.  Carnegie  himself  attributes  his  success 
chiefiv  to  the,  hand   nf  r.lftver  young  men  which  he 
gathered  roimd  hini.     He  has  an  unbotmded  belief  in 
young  men,  and  he  has  never  been  afraid  to  intrust 
them  with  the  most  important  duties.     ''It  is  astonish- 
ing," he  says,  "what  a  young  man  can  do  if  he  is  only 
trusted."     His    method   has   been  to   keep   a   keen^ 
lookout  for  any  young  fellows  of  exceptional  ability,  r 
whether   in   his   own   employ   or  in   the   employ   oi^ 
others.     ^And    rarely  did^  his    iudgment_  fai^^him. 
Scores^  of  wealthy  men  in  America  to-day  owe  their^ 
position  to  Andrew  Carnegie's  timely  encouragement^^ 

Mr.  H.  C.  Frick,  one  of  the  foremost  men  in  tKe 
commercial  world  to-day,  is  one  of  those  whom  Mr. 
Carnegie  credited  with  the  making  of  a  first-class  busi- 
ness man,  and  he  took  him  from  the  employ  of  another 
firm  and  gave  him  a  position  in  his  own  organization. 
Another  instance  is  that  of  a  young  fellow  who  served 


THE  STEEL  MASTER  55 

behind  a  shop  counter  in  Dunfermline.  He  sent  him 
to  Pittsburgh  and  gave  him  the  usual  opportunities  to 
distinguish  himself.  The  young  man  rose  rapidly,  was 
finally  admitted  into  partnership,  and  is  now  a  rich 
man.  Perhaps  the  most  striking  tribute  to  Mr. 
Carnegie's  perceptive  faculty  is  Mr.  Schwab,  who  is 
now  receiving  an  enormous  salary  as  manager  of  the 
new  steel  trust,  the  United  States  Steel  Corporation. 
He  entered  Mr.  Carnegie's  service  as  a  boy,  and  by 
his  extraordinary  smartness  and  his  rare  capacity 
for  work  he  attracted  the  attention  of  his  employer. 
He  had  neither  capital  nor  influence,  but  he  had  merit, 
and  he  steadily  advanced,  each  new  promotion  reveal- 
ing in  him  greater  ability,  until  he  attained  the  highest 
position  in  the  greatest  industrial  concern  and  was 
president  of  the  company  before  he  reached  thirty. 
These  are  the  men  who  formed  Mr.  Carnegie's  working^ 
cabinet. 

It  is  hard  to  define  in  exact  terms  the  power  which 
Mr.  Carnegie  had  of  stimulating  his  subordinates  and 
infusing  them  with  his  own  consuming  enthusiasm. 
He  had  a  perfect  genius  for  discovering  young  men  of 
exceptional  ability,  and,  having  secured  them,  they 
were  given  a  fair  chance  to  prove  their  worth.  No 
favoritism  of  any  kind  was  allowed,  all  promotion 
being  solely  by  merit.  His  first  partner,  David  A. 
Stewart,   and  his  brother,  Tom  Carnegie,  both  had 


56  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

grown-up  sons,  but  none  of  these  young  men  were 
admitted  to  the  concern,  and  at  death  their  parents* 
interests  were  paid  out.  "Dead  heads"  were  a  luxury 
never  tolerated  in  the  Carnegie  Company.  Having 
worked  his  own  way  in  the  world,  Mr.  Carnegie  knew 
how  best  to  encourage  a  deserving  youth.  *'Respon- 
sibiHty,"  he  once  said,  ''thrown  upon  a  young  man, 
that  is  the  thing  to  bring  out  what  is  in  him."  But 
he  insisted  that  the  youth  himself  should  be  thoroughly 
interested  in  his  work,  and  be  animated  with  a  strong 
desire  to  succeed.  "Concentration,"  he  says,  "is  my 
motto — first  honesty,  then  industry,  then  concentra^ 
-tiQrCL_and^he  expected  it  to  be  the  motto  of  hi^ 
employees.  If  they  did  not  give  their  whole  energies 
to  their  work  they  lost  their  places  or  were  degraded. 
Each  new  man  had  to  maintain  the  standard  of  excel- 
lence reached  by  his  predecessor.  Mere  mediocrity 
and  languid  interest  were  not  tolerated. 

On  the  other  hand,  hard  and  conscientious  work 
was  promptly  and  handsomely  rewarded,  and  when 
a  subordinate  was  appointed  to  the  position  of  a 
manager,  Mr.  Carnegie  maintained  that  the  test  of 
his  ability  was  not  what  he  did  himself,  but  what  he 
could  get  others  to  do  in  cooperation  with  him.  "  The 
great  manager,"  he  said,  "is  the  man  who  knows  how 
to  surround  himself  with  men  much  abler  than  himself. 
I  have  always  found  that  a  manager  of  one  of  our  great 


THE  STEEL  MASTER  57 

works  has  been  able  to  make  excellent  managers  out  of 
material  which  before  his  magic  touch  was  quite 
mediocre.  He  inspires  his  subordinates  to  almost 
superhuman  efforts." 

It  was  men  of  this  caliber  that  were  given  a  stake  in 
the  business  in  the  shape  of  stock,  or  who  were  pro- 
moted to  be  partners.  They  worked  together,  heart 
and  soul,  for  a  common  interest,  and  Mr.  Carnegie  is 
proud  of  the  fact  that  he  has  never  had  occasion  to 
exercise  his  authority  over  any  one  of  them.  He 
pays  to  these  talented,  ambitious  young  fellows  an 
unqualified  tribute  of  admiration — 

"I  do  not  believe  any  one  man  can  make  a  success 
of  a  business  nowadays.  I  am  sure  I  never  could  have 
done  so  without  my  partners,  of  whom  I  had  thirty- 
two,  the  brightest  and  cleverest  young  fellows  in  the 
world.  All  are  equal  to  each  other,  as  the  members  of 
the  Cabinet  are  equal.  The  chief  must  only  be  first 
among  equals.  I  know  that  every  one  of  my  partners 
would  have  smiled  at  the  idea  of  my  being  his  superior, 
although  the  principal  stockholder.  The  way  they 
differed  from  me  and  beat  me  many  a  time  was 
delightful  to  behold.  I  never  enjoyed  anything  more 
than  to  get  a  sound  thrashing  in  an  argument  at  the 
hands  of  these  young  geniuses.  No  man  will  make  a 
great  business  who  wants  to  do  it  all  himself  or  to  get 
all  the  credit  for  doing  it.     I  believe  firmly  in  youths 


58  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

as  executive  agents.  Older  heads  should  be  reserved 
for  counsel." 

An  English  writer  has  called  attention  to  this  and 
says  that  *'Mr.  Carnegie  sets  an  example  that  British 
employers  might  well  take  note  of.  There  can  be  no 
doubt  that  to  this  practice  of  placing  young  men  in 
responsible  positions  is  largely  due  the  enterprise  and 
progress  of  American  commerce.'* 

The  power  of  organization  and  the  faculty  of 
recognizing  and  developing  dependable  assistants 
contributed  largely  to  Mr.  Carnegie's  success. 


As  an  Employer  of  Labor 


CHAPTER  V 

AS   AN   EMPLOYER  OF  LABOR 

/Y^  PINION  regarding  Mr.  Carnegie  as  an  employer 
V^  of  labor  is  sharply  divided.  On  the  one  hand 
he  is  looked  upon  as  a  man  who  has  violated  in  practice 
all  the  excellent  theory  that  he  has  written  on  the  sub- 
ject ;  and,  on  the  other  hand,  it  is  asserted  that  he  has 
done  everything  possible  for  his  work-people  compatible 
with  the  maintenance  of  his  business  in  the  face  of  fierce 
competition. 

In  attempting  to  review  Mr.  Carnegie's  record  in  this 
respect,  it  is  of  the  first  importance  to  take  into  con- 
sideration the  conditions  of  capital  and  labor  that 
existed  in  the  United  States  during  his  career/  The 
policy  of  an  employer  in  America  and  the  policy  of  an 
employer  in  England  must  be  judged  from  different 
standpoints,  for  the  two  are  on  a  totally  different  foot- 
ing with  their  employees  and  have  to  contend  with 
an  entirely  diverse  environment /in  America,  even  at 
the  present  time,  employers  and  employees  are  often 
at  variance,  and  during  Mr.  Carnegie's  time,  ten  to 
twenty  years  ago,  the  period  with  which  we  are  con- 
cerned, the  antagonism  between  the  two  was  much 
more  intense  than  it  is  to-da¥f 


62  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 


^ 


The  set  purpose  of  the  employers  naturally  was  to 
extract  from  their  workmen  the  maximum  of  labor 
at  the  minimum  of  cost,  both  in  wages  and  accommo- 
dation. The  avowed  object  of  the  workmen  was  to 
obtain  the  highest  wages  and  the  shortest  hours  possible, 
and  to  work  no  harder  than  was  necessary.  Each  party 
was  aware  of  the  intentions  of  the  other,  and  conse- 
quently each  watched  every  move  of  the  other  keenly. 
Wrecking  tactics  by  the  one  side  at  the  time  strikes 
were  in  progress  were  followed  by  swift  punishment. 
But  in  the  main  the  weakest  had  gone  to  the  wall,  and 
the  workman  was  under  the  heel  of  his  employer, 
though  occasionally,  being  supported  by  public  opinion, 
the  workman  won./ 

''•Such  a  state  of  distrust  between  capital  and  labor 
could  only  be  regarded  as  deplorable  in  the  extreme  by 
a  man  of  the  temperament  of  Mr.  Carnegie,  who  has 
always  been  astute  enough  to  recognize  that  good  feel- 
ing between  master  and  workman  is  essential  for  the 
highest  prosperity  of  both.  He  considers  that  nothing 
pays  so  well  in  business  as  generous  treatment  and 
mutual  good-wilL  His  experience,  he  says,  goes  to 
prove  that  V  the  firm  which  has  a  reputation  for  taking 
the  best  care  of  its  men  has  the  best  chance,  because  the 
best  men  will  gravitate  to  that  firm  and  stay  with  it/^^ 
Mr.  Carnegie's  prime  prescription  for  smooth  working 
in  the  industrial  arena  is  the  copartnership  principle, 


AS  AN  EMPLOYER  OF  LABOR  63 

but  as  that  was  not  practicable  he  advocated  the  next 
best  thing,  namely,  the  sliding-scale  arrangement  of 
remiineration.  This  part  of  his  theory  he  put  into  prac- 
tice in  his  own  works.  The  scale  there  was  based 
on  the  price  of  the  product.  Once  a  month  a  com- 
mittee approved  by  the  men  met,  and  before  this  com- 
mittee was  laid  all  the  information  necessary  to  enable 
it  to  estimate  what  prices  the  firm  would  obtain.  An 
average  price  was  then  agreed  upon,  and  this  formed 
the  basis  for  the  wages  for  the  ensuing  month. 

Of  course,  the  weakness  of  this  system  is  that,  as 
circumstances  change,  differences  arise  regarding  the 
fairness  of  the  percentage  of  remuneration  on  the  price 
of  the  products,  and  in  this  respect  it  is  little  better 
than  the  old  method.  Its  great  advantage  lies  in  the 
fact  that  it  brings  masters  and  men  into  contact  and 
tends  to  promote  mutual  self-respect.  Whenever 
they  do  come  together  on  such  occasions,  Mr.Camegie 
holds  that  the  employer,  being  the  better  trained  and 
more  cultured  party,  should  exercise  great  forbearance 
in  regard  to  the  men's  behavior.  If  they  are  rough 
and  surly  in  their  manners,  and  at  times  somewhat 
arrogant  in  their  bearing,  he  should  overlook  this  as  the 
outcome  of  their  inferior  education  and  mode  of  life. 
He  also  thinks  that  it  is  not  too  much  to  expect  men 
entrusted  with  the  management  of  great  properties 
to  devote  some  part  of  their  time  to  searching  out  any 


V 


64  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

causes  of  discontent  among  their  employees,  and, 
having  satisfied  themselves  that  they  are  genuine,  to 
meet  the  men  more  than  half-way  in  an  endeavor  to 
settle  them. 

/'  But  he  insisted  on  the  men  doing  their  best.  They 
must  work  and  work  hard.  He  tolerates  no  slackness. 
Idlers  are  an  abomination  to  him.  He  is  convinced 
that  a  state  of  regular  labor  is  the  best  possible  con- 
dition for  the  human  race,  and  produces  the  best  citi- 
zen. He  honors  the  laborer  far  above  the  aristocrat. 
**  The  lot  of  a  skilled  workman,"  he  says,  "  is  far  better 
than  that  of  the  heir  to  an  hereditary  title,  who  is  very 
likely  to  lead  an  unhappy,  wicked  life."  Mr.  Carnegie 
was  once  asked  his  views  on  the  "too  old  at  forty" 
problem.  He  replied:  "A  man  at  forty  who  is  in 
search  of  something  to  do  has  a  prima  facie  case  against 
him.  Long  before  he  is  forty  he  should  have  shown 
himself  to  be  indispensable  and  received  either  a  high 
salary  or  an  interest  in  the  business.  Of  course,  there 
are  exceptional  cases  where  a  worthy  man  is  suddenly 
deprived  of  work  at  forty.  His  is  a  sad  case  indeed." 
He  does  not  advise  workmen  in  comfortable  circum- 
stances to  emigrate  and  take  great  risks.  If  a  man  can 
make  thirty  shillings  a  week  in  his  native  land,  Mr. 
Carnegie  thinks  he  would  be  very  foolish  to  leave  it, 
unless  he  is  impelled  by  an  uncontrollable  ambition 
and  has  no  ties  to  bind  him.     Even  though  men  may 


AS  AN  EMPLOYER  OF   LABOR  65 

be  fortunate  enough  to  earn  higher  wages,  very  likely 
the  conditions  of  life  will  not  suit  them  and  they  will 
become  dissatisfied.  "Look  before  you  leap"  is  the 
adyice  he  offers. 

/Thus  far  we  have  studied  Mr.  Carnegie  in  theory/^ 
/Wow  let  us  see  how  he  has  put  all  these  admirable 
sentiments  and  unimpeachable  principles  into  practice./ 
The  best  test  that  can  be  applied  is  the  condition  of 
labor  surrounding  his  own  workmen.  Mr.  Hamlin 
Garland,  a  well-known  writer,  though  having  no 
technical  experience,  describes  the  impressions  he  re- 
ceived from  a  visit  to  the  Homestead  works,  -  His  train- 
ing as  a  novelist  naturally  impelled  him  to  look  at 
things  from  the  descriptive  writer's  point  of  view,  and 
not  become  interested  in  the  picturesque,  both  horrible 
and  attractive.  In  his  approach  to  Homestead  Mr. 
Garland  was  struck  by  the  desolate  appearance  of  the 
district,  and  the  wretchedness  of  the  town  itself,  he 
says,  was  deplorable.  "The  streets  were  horrible; 
the  buildings  were  poor;  the  sidewalks  were  sunken 
and  full  of  holes;  and  the  crossings  were  formed  of 
sharp-edged  stones  like  rocks  in  a  river  bed.  Every- 
where the  yellow  mud  of  the  streets  lay  kneaded  into 
sticky  masses,  through  which  groups  of  pale,  lean  men 
slouched  in  faded  garments,  grimy  with  the  soot  and 
dirt  of  the  mills.  The  town  was  as  squalid  as  could 
well  be  imagined,  and  the  people  were  mainly  of  the 


66  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

discouraged  and  sullen  type  to  be  found  everywhere 
where  labor  passes  into  the  brutalizing  stage  of 
severity."' 

These' depressing  conditions  are  apparently  insepar- 
able from  a  newly  established  iron  or  steel  mill  in  any 
locality,  and  this  is  specially  true  where  soft  coal  is 
used.  Grime,  heat,  hard,  exhausting  labor,  these  are 
conditions  that  are  to  be  found  in  every  steel  mill,  and 
the  works  of  the  Carnegie  Company  differed  little  from 
other  manufactories  of  the  same  kind  except  in  extent, 
but  it  may  be  truly  said  that  the  larger  the  mill  the 
mpre  depressing  the  conditions. 

/f  After  commenting  on  the  muggy,  smoke-laden  atmos- 
phere, he  proceeds  to  describe  the  conditions  inside  the 
mills,  and  the  men  engaged  at  their  tasks,  and  tells 
us  that  they  worked  with  a  sort  of  desperate  attention 
and  alertness. 

"That  looks  like  hard  work,"  I  said  to  one  of  them 
to  whom  my  companion  introduced  me.  He  was 
breathing  hard  from  his  labor. 

*'  Hard !  I  guess  it's  hard.  I  lost  forty  pounds  the 
first  three  months  I  came  into  the  business.  It  sweats 
the  life  out  of  a  man.  I  often  drink  two  buckets  of 
water  in  twelve  hours;  the  sweat  drips  through  my 
sleeves,  and  runs  down  my  legs  and  fills  my  shoes." 

"But  that  isn't  the  worst  of  it,"  said  my  guide,  a 
former  employee.     "  It's  a  dog's  life.     Now  those  men 


AS  AN   EMPLOYER  OF   LABOR  67 

work  twelve  hours,  and  sleep  and  eat  out  ten  more. 
You  can  see  a  man  don't  have  much  time  for  anything 
else.  You  can't  see  your  friends  or  do  anything  but 
work.  That's  why  I  got  out  of  it.  I  used  to  come 
home  so  exhausted,   staggering  like  a  man  with  a 

Again  and  again  he  is  impressed  with  the  general 
appearence  of  exhaustion  that  is  shown  in  the  haggard 
faces  of  the  toilers,  and  he  says  "  their  work  is  of  the 
sort  that  hardens  and  coarsens.**  Everywhere  in  the 
enormous  sheds  were  pits  gaping  like  the  mouth  of  hell, 
and  ovens  emitting  a  terrible  degree  of  heat,  with  grimy 
men  filling  and  lining  them.  One  man  jumps  down, 
works  desperately  for  a  few  minutes,  and  is  then  pulled 
up,  exhausted.  Another  immediately  takes  his  place; 
there  is  no  hesitation.  When  he  spoke  to  the  men 
they  laughed.  It  was  winter  when  he  made  his  visit. 
They  told  him  to  come  in  the  summer,  during  July, 
when  one  could  scarcely  breathe.  An  old  workman, 
relating  the  experience  of  his  first  day's  toil,  says  he 
applied  for  work,  and  the  superintendent,  saying  he 
looked  strong  and  tough,  set  him  on  the  pit  work.  For 
the  first  time  in  his  life  he  fainted  repeatedly,  and  when 
he  left  at  night  he  could  scarcely  drag  himself  home. 
^They  take  great  risks,  too;  and  the  injuries  sus- 
tained are  of  a  most  frightful  character.  An  explosion 
in  the  pouring  of  the  molten  metal,  and  half  a  dozen 


68  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

men  are  terribly  mangled  and  one  or  two  killed.  Such 
incidents  are  not  infrequent.  The  continuous  dread 
of  an  accident,  combined  with  the  intense  drive  of  the 
work,  constitute  a  fearful  strain.-*  This  is  a  fearful 
picture,  painted  in  the  darkest,  most  repulsive  colors, 
but  this  is  but  one  side  of  it.  Nothing  is  said  of  the 
comfortable  homes  which  steady  employment  at 
from  four  to  ten  dollars  a  day  enabled  the  steady^ 
sober  workman  to  maintain — the  self-confidence  that 
continuous  employment  begets.  The  environments  of 
the  mills  were  improved  as  rapidly  as  possible,  streets 
were  paved,  schools  were  established,  and  public 
institutions  of  various  kinds  were  initiated  Several 
free  educational  institutions  were  founded  by  Mr. 
Carnegie  in  an  attempt  to  help  his  workmen  help 
themselves.  The  other  side  of  this  picture  is  full 
of  light  and  hope,  though  there  are  many  exceptions. 
Many  of  the  men  have  happy  families,  and  those 
of  the  better  class  are  very  well  off.  The  company 
houses  are  very  good,  and  have  all  modern  conve- 
niences, and  the  men  who  are  sober  and  care  for  their 
families,  besides  being  prosperous  live  comfortably. 

The  effect  of  the  work  on  these  men  was  brought 
out  in  a  conversation  with  one  of  them  which  Mr. 
Garland  had  the  morning  after  his  visit  to  the  mills. 
"The  worst  part  of  the  whole  business,"  said  the 
workman,  "is,  it  brutalizes  a  man.     You  can't  help 


AS  AN  EMPLOYER  OF  LABOR  69 

it.  You  start  to  be  a  man,  but  you  become  more 
and  more  a  machine,  and  pleasures  are  few  and  far 
between.  It's  like  any  severe  labor;  it  drags  you 
down  mentally  and  morally  just  as  it  does  physically. 
I  wouldn't  mind  it  so  much  but  for  the  long  hours. 
Twelve  hours  is  too  long." 

The  rate  of  pay  in  the  works  varied  with  the  class 
of  labor.  But,  speaking  generally,  at  Homestead 
the  workmen  received  a  daily  wage  of  from  $1.50  to 
$10.00.  The  old  experienced  men  in  these  works  are 
hardened  specimens  of  humanity,  with  muscles  and 
bodies  as  tough  as  the  steel  they  handle.  They  are 
wonderfully  deft  and  skilful,  and  are  capable  of  turn- 
ing out  an  immense  amount  of  work  at  a  high  rate  of 
speed. 

>^r.  Carnegie  freely  admits  that  English  workmen 
would  not  work  as  these  men  do,  and  he  calculates  that 
each  man  does  nearly  twice  as  much  as  his  English  pro- 
totype. He  considers  the  climate  of  America  much 
more  invigorating  than  that  of  Britain,  and  he  puts 
forward  other  contributory  causes  of  the  difference. 

But  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  extra  work  is 
forced  by  the  tremendous  drive  or  pressure  of  the 
American  system.  The  men  are  bent  upon  earning 
high  wages,  and  the  masters  are  determined  to  beat  ^^ 
all  competition.  Progress,  the  accumulation  of  wealth, 
complete  supremacy  over  all  competitors,  these  are 


70  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

the  paramount  considerations,  and  everything  less  is 
disregarded./' 

/nvhat  reply  does  Mr.  Carnegie  or  any  other  employer 
make  when  easier  conditions  are  suggested?  He 
tells  you  that  it  is  impossible  unless  all  manufac- 
turers in  the  same  line  agree  on  practically  the  same 
conditions:  competition  is  inexorable.  If  these  meas- 
ures were  not  adopted,  they  would  be  left  behind  in 
the  fightv'  And  Mr.  Carnegie  is  certainly  not  the  man 
to  be  "left";  rather  is  he  the  man  to  leave  others. 
/  He  is  a  typical  American  employer.  Nowhere  has  the 
drive  and  strain  been  more  intense,  and  the  discipline 
more  rigorous  and  unbending,  than  in  the  works  of  the 
Carnegie  Company. /But  if  Mr.  Carnegie  drives  his  men 
hard,  he  pays  them  well.  He  claims  that  the  wages 
paid  in  his  works  have  been  from  ten  to  fifteen 
per  cent,  higher  than  in  any  other  works  of  a  similar 
nature  in  the  United  State^-.  Inside  his  works  he  was 
in  that  respect  superiof  to  the  typical  American 
employer,  and  outside  he  is  far  ahead  of  his  commercial 
brethren.  The  average  manufacturer  in  America,  it 
is  said,  compares  very  unfavorably  with  his  British 
rival  in  the  interest  he  takes  in  the  well-being  of  his 
work-people  during  their  leisure  time.  Homestead, 
as  we  have  seen,  was  a  dismal  place.  Model  working- 
class  communities  were  conspicuous  by  their  absence. 
Mr.  Carnegie,  we  know,  has  done  and  is  doing  a  great 


AS  AN   EMPLOYER  OF  LABOR  71 

deal  in  the  way  of  providing  libraries,  music  halls  and 
clubs,  and  he  has  recently  made  a  gift  of  $4,000,000  for 
the  formation  of  a  pension  fund  for  his  work-people. 
In  another  way  Mr.  Carnegie  has  shown  his  breadth  of 
sympathy.  On  the  principle  of  helping  those  who  help 
themselves,  the  Carnegie  firm  allows  every  workman  to 
deposit  his  savings  in  the  business  and  pays  him  six 
per  cent,  interest  on  the  money  invested.  On  the  other 
hand,  the  firm  is  willing  to  lend  to  any  of  its  workmen 
desirous  of  building  or  purchasing  a  house  the  sum 
needed  for  the  purpose,  charging  interest  at  the  rate  of 
six  per  cent,  on  the  loan. 

Mx.  Carnegie  is  also  deserving  of  the  highest  praise 
for  the  strenuous  efforts  he  has  made  to  reduce  the 
hours  of  labor  in  America  by  working  the  eight-hour 
instead  of  the  twelve-hour  shifts.  His  action  in  this 
matter  convincingly  proves  his  real  desire  to  alleviate 
the  exceptional  strain  to  which  American  people  are 
subject.  He  says:  "I  sympathize  with  the  desire  to 
have  shorter  hours  of  labor.  We  have  too  long  hours 
of  labor  in  America^  There  is  not  a  blast-furnace  or 
manufactory  that  has  to  run  night  and  day  at  which 
the  workers  do  not  work  twelve  hours  a  day,  the 
twenty-four  hours  being  divided  into  two  shifts.  But 
to  reduce  the  hours  of  labor  in  works  that  have  to  run 
night  and  day  can  only  be  done  by  a  general  law  com- 
pelling all  such  works  to  adopt  eight-hour  shifts.     We 


72  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

tried  this  voluntarily  ourselves  at  Pittsburgh  for  two 
years.  We  worked  all  the  blast-furnace  men  on  three 
shifts  of  eight  hours  each,  hoping  that  other  iron  manu- 
facturers would  be  induced  or  compelled  to  follow  our 
example.  But  only  one  firm  in  the  whole  country  did 
so;  and  finally  competition  became  so  keen  that  we 
were  forced  to  go  back  to  the  twelve-hour  shifts.  It 
was  a  question  whether  we  were  to  run  the  works  at  a 
loss  or  not,  and  after  losing  at  least  $500,000  by  the 
experiment,  we  had  to  ask  our  men  to  return  to  the  two 
shifts  a  day.  We  offered  to  divide  with  the  men 
the  extra  cost  of  thirty-three  and  one-third  per  cent, 
which  the  three  shifts  involved,  so  that  we  might  con- 
tinue the  eight-hour  system,  the  firm  paying  seventeen 
per  cent,  and  the  men  sixteen  per  cent. ;  but  rather 
than  do  this  they  decided  to  go  back  to  the  two  shifts 
of  twelve  hours  a  day." 

These  facts  should  be  carefully  considered  by  people 
who  make  the  complaint  against  Mr.  Carnegie  that  he 
ought  to  have  been  satisfied  with  a  smaller  f ortime  and 
rendered  easier  the  conditions  of  his  work-people. 
This  consummation  is  not  very  easily  attained,  because 
on  a  turnover  so  vast  as  that  of  the  Carnegie  Company 
the  slightest  -alteration  may  mean  either  a  large  profit 
or  a  huge  loss.  Mr.  Carnegie  holds  his  workmen  in 
high  appreciation,  and  he  is  exceedingly  grateful  to 
them  for  their  part  in  building  up  his  fortune.     He 


AS  AN  EMPLOYER  OF  LABOR  73 

acknowledges  the  severity  of  their  labor,  and  he 
always  speaks  of  them  in  the  highest  terms  of  admira- 
tion and  respect.  There  is  almost  a  pathetic  ring 
about  the  following  words:  "I  remember  after  Vandy 
and  I  had  gone  round  the  world,  and  were  walking  the 
streets  of  Pittsburgh,  we  decided  that  the  Americans 
were  the  saddest-looking  race  we  had  ever  seen.  Life 
is  so  terribly  earnest  here.  Ambition  urges  us  all  on, 
from  him  who  handles  a  spade  to  him  who  employs 
thousands .     We  know  no  rest . ' ' 

Mr.  Carnegie  stands  by  the  fact  that  he  has  been 
instrumental  in  giving  employment  to  a  vast  army  of 
workmen.  This  is  his  favorite  reply  to  all  attacks 
upon  him,  and  he  thinks  more  of  this  achievement 
than  he  does  of  all  his  benefactions.  "Those  who 
insure  steady  employment  to  thousands  at  wages  not 
lower  than  others  pay  need  not  be  ashamed  of  their 
record;  for  steady  employment  is,  after  all,  the  one 
indispensable  requisite  for  the  welfare  and  progress  of 
the  people." 

In  addressing  his  workmen  at  Pittsburgh  in  1893  he 
said:  **I  made  my  first  dollar  in  Pittsburgh,  and  ex- 
pect to  make  my  last  dollar  here  also.  I  do  not  know 
any  form  of  philanthropy  so  beneficial  as  this :  there  is 
no  charity  in  it.  I  have  hoarded  nothing,  and  shall  not 
die  rich  apart  from  my  interest  in  the  business.  Unless 
the   Pittsburgh   works   are   prosperous   I   shall   have 


^ 


74  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

nothing.  I  have  put  all  my  eggs  in  one  basket  right 
,;here,  and  I  have  the  satisfaction  of  knowing  that  the 
first  charge  on  every  dollar  of  my  capital  is  the  pay- 
ment of  the  highest  earnings  paid  for  labor  in  any  part 
of  the  world  for  similar  services.  Upon  that  record  I 
stand." 


Conflicts  with  Labor 


CHAPTER  VI 

CONFLICTS  WITH   LABOR 

LABOR,  capital  and  business  ability  are  the  three  ? 
legs  of  a  three-legged  stool.  Neither  the  first, 
the  second  nor  the  third  has  any  preference,  all  being 
equally  necessary.  He  who  would  sow  discord  among 
the  three  is  the  enemy  of  all."  Thus  spoke  Andrew 
Carnegie  to  an  interviewer  in  March,  1901.  From 
time  to  time  he  has  written  freely  on  the  labor  ques- 
tion, especially  in  reference  to  strikes  and  trade  unions. 
In  1886  he  said:  "My  experience  has  been  that  trade 
unions  upon  the  whole  are  beneficial  both  to  labor 
and  capital.  They  certainly  educate  the  working- 
man,  and  give  him  a  truer  conception  of  the  relations 
of  capital  and  labor  than  he  could  otherwise  form.  I 
recognize  in  trade  unions,  or,  better  still,  in  organiza- 
tions of  the  men  of  each  establishment,  who  select 
representatives  to  speak  for  them,  a  means  not  of 
further  embittering  the  relations  between  employer 
and  employed,  but  of  improving  them." 

Mr.  Carnegie  thinks  that  the  individual  labor  organ- 
ization is  the  most  useful  to  the  workman — ^that  is, 
each  works  or  groups  of  works  to  have  their  own  union 
which  shall  be  thoroughly  cognizant  with  conditions 

77 


78  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

in  its  own  mill.  He  does  not  extend  the  same  approval 
to  the  ordinary  types  of  labor  organization,  nor  does  he 
agree  with  all  the  principles  on  which  they  are  founded. 
When  asked  whether  or  not  there  was  in  the  States 
an  organization  known  as  the  "Knights  of  Labor," 
which  is  a  similar  body  to  the  English  trade  unions,  he 
replied:  "Say  rather  we  had.  It  was  one  of  those 
ephemeral  organizations  that  go  up  like  a  rocket  and 
come  down  like  a  stick.  It  was  founded  upon  false 
principles,  viz.,  that  they  could  combine  common  or 
unskilled  labor  with  skilled."  He  holds  that  the 
man  who  is  doubly  as  efficient  as  another  should 
receive  twice  as  much  remimeration,  and  he  continues : 
"If  we  are  not  to  recognize  that  one  man  has  brains  or 
ability  beyond  another,  why  should  a  man  of  superior 
parts  try  to  do  his  best?" 

Mr.  Carnegie  would  not  tolerate  any  organization 
among  his  work-people  that  propagated  such  mis- 
chievous principles,  and  his  firm  stand  on  this  question 
was,  perhaps,  the  chief  contributing  factor  to  his  first 
dispute  with  his  men.  This  occurred  at  his  Braddock 
steel  works.  It  appears  that  Mr.  Carnegie  came  to 
certain  terms  with  his  employees  which,  when  embodied 
in  an  agreement,  the  men's  leaders  refused  to  sign, 
incited  thereto  by  the  union  agitators,  at  whom  the 
agreement  was  expressly  aimed.  The  principal  feature 
of  the  agreement  was  a  substitution  of  the  sliding- 


CONFLICTS  WITH  LABOR  79 

scale  plan  of  wage-earning  for  the  usual  unchanging 
method.  The  sliding  scale  made  the  workman  prac- 
tically a  partner  with  the  company :  he  either  profited 
or  lost  with  the  company.  Another  feature  of  the  new 
contract  was  the  abolishment  of  the  eight-hour  day — 
that  is,  three  shifts  instead  of  two  to  each  twenty-four 
hours.  The  eight-hour  plan  was  found  to  be  tmprofit- 
able  and  a  sliding  scale  at  a  twelve-hour  schedule 
was  proposed  as  a  substitute.  The  men  were  also 
required  to  sign  a  cast-iron  agreement  promising  to 
abide  by  the  contract  for  a  certain  number  of  years. 

These  documents  were  put  before  the  men  at  the  end 
of  the  year  1887.  During  that  year  it  was  estimated 
that  Mr.  Carnegie  had  made  a  profit  of  $15,000,000. 
The  men  refused  to  agree  to  the  terms  set  before 
them,  and  the  works  were  immediately  shut  down. 
No  work  meant  no  food,  no  fuel,  no  clothes,  for 
everything  and  everybody  in  Braddock  depended 
on  the  mills.  All  efforts  toward  compromise  on  the 
part  of  the  men  were  instantly  rejected,  but  no  effort 
was  made  to  replace  the  locked-out  men  with  outsiders. 
The  men  held  out  from  December  to  April.  After 
unsuccessfully  attempting  to  obtain  a  settlement  on 
their  own  lines,  the  workmen  decided  to  give  way,  and 
their  leaders  waited  on  Mr.  Carnegie  with  the  necessary 
authority  to  come  to  terms,  but  with  the  intention  of 
making  a  nominal  surrender  only,  and  not  binding 


8o  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

themselves  personally  to  the  agreement.  Mr.  Carnegie 
took  the  deputation  to  dinner,  joked  with  them,  and 
then  produced  the  new  contracts  for  their  acceptance. 
The  leaders  asked  if  they  might  be  allowed  to  sign  as 
representatives  of  the  union.  "Certainly,'*  said  Mr. 
Carnegie,  *'you  can  sign  as  you  please."  They  signed 
without  hesitation,  congratulating  themselves  on  their 
smartness.  **Now,"  said  Mr.  Carnegie,  ''as  I  have 
obliged  you  by  letting  you  sign  as  you  please,  would 
you  oblige  me  by  signing  in  your  individual  capacity 
as  well?'*  "Begorrah,"  said  the  agitator,  "begorrah, 
the  game's  up."  And  it  was.  They  attached  their 
signatures  a  second  time,  and  the  strike  was  ended. 

That  is  Mr.  Carnegie's  version  of  the  affair,  which, 
of  course,  has  another  aspect  when  described  by  the 
workmen.  It  was  said  that  the  men  resumed  work  on 
a  pledge,  given  by  Mr.  Carnegie's  manager,  that  the 
men  thrown  out  of  work  by  the  two-shift  instead  of  the 
three-shift  system  would  be  foimd  employment  in  the 
other  mills  of  the  company,  and  that  a  general  amnesty 
would  be  granted  to  all  who  had  taken  part  in  the 
strike.  This  pledge,  some  of  the  men  say,  was  broken. 
But  there  is  no  evidence  that  any  such  pledge  was 
actually  given.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  sliding  scale 
instituted  at  Braddock  has  proved  uniformly  satisfac- 
tory to  both  the  workmen  and  the  company,  and  the 
plan  has  been  extended  to  other  places. 


CONFLICTS  WITH  LABOR  8i 

The  second  and  last  dispute  that  the  Carnegie  firm 
had  with  its  employees  was  at  the  Homestead  works, 
over  which  Mr.  Frick,  the  manager,  had  supreme  con- 
trol. Owing  to  the  atrocious  methods  by  which  the 
conflict  was  conducted  on  both  sides,  this  strike  at 
Homestead  caused  a  sensation  throughout  the  civilized 
world.  As  usual  there  is  much  contradiction  of  facts 
by  the  parties  concerned,  and  great  confusion  as  to  the 
circumstances  of  the  dispute.  The  following  events  are 
gathered  from  accounts  which  were  current  at  the 
time. 

On  July  I,  1889,  the  firm  made  a  three-year  con- 
tract with  a  number  of  skilled  workmen,  through 
the  medium  of .  the  Amalgamated  Iron  and  Steel 
Workers'  Association,  to  pay  them  at  the  rate  of 
twenty-five  dollars  per  ton  for  a  certain  product  of 
Bessemer  steel.  At  the  beginning  of  Jime,  1892,  Mr. 
Frick  announced  that  the  rate  in  future  would  be 
twenty-two  dollars  per  ton,  which  he  eventually  raised 
to  twenty-three  dollars,  but  the  men  held  firm  for 
twenty-four  dollars.  Mr.  Frick  further  notified  them 
that  henceforth  the  contracts  would  terminate  in  mid- 
winter instead  of  midsummer.  The  men  objected  to 
this  because  it  placed  them  at  a  disadvantage. 

Negotiations  were  broken  off  on  June  24th  and 
the  mills  were  shut  down  on  the  30th.  Then  began 
a  series  of   heart-rending  episodes.     Mr.  Frick,    with 


82  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

an  "intelligent  anticipation  of  events,'*  had  taken 
precautionary  measures  while  the  negotiations  were  in 
progress.  He  resolved  to  keep  the  works  going  by 
non-unionist  workmen,  and  to  protect  these  he  had 
engaged  three  hundred  Pinkerton  detectives,  and  had 
also  surrounded  the  works  with  fences  and  trenches 
until  they  resembled  a  military  fort.  It  was  reported 
at  the  time  that  along  the  top  of  the  fence,  which  was 
twelve  feet  high,  a  barbed  wire  was  laid,  which  was 
nicknamed  the  ''live  wire  fence"  because  it  was 
charged  with  a  degree  of  electricity  sufficiently  strong 
to  kill  any  one  who  touched  it.  But  this  was  abso- 
lutely disproved  later.  On  the  other  hand,  it  was 
stated  that  the  men  deliberately  attempted  to  murder 
all  the  non-union  workmen  by  poisoning  their  food 
as  it  was  being  prepared  in  the  kitchens. 

Immediately  the  negotiations  in  progress  between 
the  two  parties  were  ended,  the  men  stationed  guards  at 
all  the  entrances  to  the  mills.  The  river,  the  streets 
and  the  roads  entering  the  town  were  also  closely 
patrolled,  and  a  rigid  surveillance  was  exercised  over 
all  visitors.  During  the  disturbance  great  damage 
was  done  to  the  mills  of  the  company  and  to  public 
property  in  the  town.  Frick  now  thought  it  was 
high  time  to  use  his  police  force  and  attempt  the 
importation  of  foreign  labor.  It  was  arranged  that  the 
detectives  should  proceed  to  Homestead  by  the  river, 


CONFLICTS  WITH   LABOR  83 

and  arrive  there  about  midnight,  when  it  was  hoped 
they  would  be  able  to  enter  the  works  unobserved. 

At  two  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  July  6,  three  hundred 
detectives,  accompanied  by  the  deputy-sheriff  of  the 
district,  embarked  on  a  steamer  and  two  barges  and 
left  Pittsburgh  for  Homestead.  On  their  arrival  they 
found  the  river  banks  lined  with  thousands  of  men, 
women,  and  even  children.  Many  of  the  men  were 
armed  with  revolvers  and  clubs,  while  the  Pinkerton 
detectives  had  their  Winchester  rifles.  A  short  war  of 
words  was  followed  by  an  attempt  of  the  boating  party 
to  land.  This  was  resisted  by  the  frenzied  workmen, 
shots  were  exchanged,  and  fighting  soon  became 
general.  Another  determined  sortie  was  made  by  a 
body  of  fifty  Pinkertons  under  cover  of  the  rifle  fire 
from  their  companions,  but  they  met  with  such  a  hot 
reception  that  they  were  compelled  to  retreat. 

The  strikers  now  erected  a  fort  on  which  they 
mounted  a  small  piece  of  artillery  and  opened  fire  with 
it  upon  the  barges.  They  also  endeavored  to  set  fire 
to  the  barges  by  pouring  petroletmi  in  the  river,  but 
an  unfavorable  wind  rendered  their  efforts  unsuc- 
cessful. The  steamer,  with  the  deputy-sheriff  and 
the  wounded  men  on  board,  got  adrift  from  the  two 
barges,  and,  running  the  gantlet  of  a  heavy  fire, 
returned  to  Pittsburgh.  At  5  P.  m.  on  the  following  day 
the  Pinkertons  surrendered  on  condition  that  if  they 


84  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

gave  up  their  arms  they  would  be  guaranteed  a  safe 
conduct.  Notwithstanding  this  guarantee,  they  were 
brutally  assaulted  as  they  passed  through  the  town, 
and  many  were  seriously  injured.  The  casualties  of 
the  whole  conflict  amounted  to  six  workmen  killed 
and  eighteen  woimded,  nine  Pinkertons  killed  and 
twenty-one  woimded,  and  a  hundred  Pinkertons 
severely  mutilated  after  their  surrender. 

On  learning  of  the  fight,  the  Governor  of  the  State 
sent  down  a  force  of  8,000  militia,  who  occupied  the 
works.  Rioting,  however,  continued  for  a  time.  On 
July  23  Mr.  Prick  was  assaulted  by  a  Russian  who  was 
admitted  to  his  office  on  a  pretense  of  business.  The 
loss  to  the  company  through  the  works  remaining  idle 
was  $50,000  daily,  apart  from  the  expense  of  $20,000 
daily  for  the  maintenance  of  the  militia. 

A  commission  was  appointed  by  Congress  to  institute 
a  thorough  inquiry  into  the  whole  event,  and  their 
report  roundly  censured  every  one  concerned,  but 
especially  Mr.  Prick,  at  whose  door  it  practically  laid 
the  entire  responsibility  for  the  conflict.  It  said: 
*'  Mr.  Prick  seems  to  have  been  too  stem,  brusque,  and 
somewhat  autocratic,  of  which  some  of  the  men  justly 
complain.  We  are  persuaded  that,  if  he  had  chosen, 
an  agreement  would  have  been  reached  between  him 
and  the  workmen,  and  all  the  trouble  which  followed 
would  have  been  avoided." 


CONFLICTS  WITH  LABOR  85 

Professor  Bemis,  a  high  authority  on  industrial  prob- 
lems, and  a  man  universally  respected,  published  an 
article  on  the  strike  which  was  distinguished  by  a 
judicial  spirit  of  impartiality  and  moderation.  He 
severely  condemned  the  attitude  and  policy  of  Mr. 
Frick,  and  stated  that  O'Donnell,  the  men's  repre- 
sentative, made  every  effort  to  promote  an  amicable 
settlement,  and  when  the  negotiations  were  broken  off 
by  Mr.  Frick  he  pleaded  for  a  reopening  of  the  discus- 
sion, stating  clearly  that  he  believed  terms  would 
eventually  be  agreed  upon.  But  Mr.  Frick  was  obdu- 
rate :  he  had  set  himself  to  smash  trade  unionism. 

Attempts  were  made  by  the  men's  leaders  to  com- 
municate with  Mr.  Carnegie.  Professor  Bemis  states 
that  O'Donnell  applied  to  Frick  for  Mr.  Carnegie's 
address  in  Scotland,  which  was  known  only  to  his 
business  associates.  Mr.  Frick  refused  to  give  the 
address,  whereupon  it  was  obtained  from  the  American 
Consul  in  London.  The  men's  terms  of  settlement 
were  then  cabled  to  Mr.  Carnegie,  who  approved  of 
them  and  urged  an  immediate  consultation  with  Frick. 
Mr.  Frick,  however,  refused  to  consider  the  matter  at 
all,  and  declared  that  if  Carnegie  came  in  person,  in 
company  with  President  Harrison  and  the  entire 
Cabinet,  he  would  not  settle  the  strike.  Mr.  Carnegie, 
in  his  reply,  guarded  himself  by  saying  that  he  had  no 
power  to  instruct  anybody  connected  with  the  Carnegie 


86  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

Steel  Company.  **The  officers,"  he  wrote,  "are 
elected  for  a  year,  and  no  one  can  interfere  with  them. 
As  for  instructing  them  or  compelling  them  under  law 
to  do  one  thing  or  another,  that  is  simply  an  absurd 
suggestion.  I  could  not  if  I  would,  and  I  would  not  if 
I  could."  This  restricted  authority  is  involved  in  his 
system  of  management  by  partners. 

A  very  different  complexion  is,  however,  put  upon 
the  outbreak  at  Homestead  by  the  following  summary 
of  events,  which  is  vouched  for  on  the  best  authority, 
and  which  contradicts  the  personal  attacks  upon  Mr. 
Carnegie.  The  issue  between  the  firm  and  267  union 
men,  out  of  3,000  men  employed,  was  that  these 
malcontents  demanded  an  advance  equal  to  sixty 
per  cent,  on  the  scale,  when  they  were  already 
earning  from  $10  to  $13  per  day  of  eight  hours. 
The  firm  offered  to  meet  them  half  way.  New 
machinery,  erected  at  a  cost  of  $4,000,000,  had 
increased  the  output  sixty  per  cent.,  and  this  the  firm 
offered  to  divide  with  its  union  men.  When  Mr. 
Carnegie  looked  into  the  matter  he  pronotmced  it 
the  most  generous  offer  that  had  ever  been  made  to 
employees,  as  the  labor  was  not  harder  with  the  new 
machinery  than  with  the  old. 

The  firm  started  the  works  when  the  few  tmion  men 
struck,  at  the  wish  of  the  2,700  others,  who  offered  to 
work  the  mills  without  the  union  men.     It  was  these 


CONFLICTS  WITH  LABOR  87 

latter  who,  armed  with  guns  and  pistols,  shot  down  the 
police,  and  so  provoked  reprisals. 

It  was  the  general  opinion  that  if  the  "little  boss," 
as  Mr.  Carnegie  was  called  by  his  men,  had  been  present, 
the  whole  matter  would  have  been  peacefully  settled; 
but  as  he  was  not  there  it  is  absurd  to  charge  him  with 
neglect.  He  did  not  even  hear  of  it  until  the  works 
had  started.  Mr.-  Frick,  as  president,  with  a  board  of 
directors,  had  been  in  full  control,  and  the  works 
were  running  under  the  protection  of  the  troops  of 
Pennsylvania ;  the  State  had  the  matter  in  charge. 

The  chairman  of  the  union  publicly  stated  that  in 
the  eyes  of  the  men  the  trouble  never  would  have  hap- 
pened if  Mr.  Carnegie  had  been  at  home.  After  it  had 
arisen  a  committee  of  workmen  wired  to  Mr.  Carnegie : 
*'  Kind  master,  tell  us  what  you  want  us  to  do  and  we 
will  do  it";  but  the  riot  had  occurred  before  this 
telegram  had  reached  him,  and  had  rendered  him 
powerless  in  the  matter. 

In  the  course  of  his  brilliant  business  career  Mr. 
Carnegie  has  not  had  any  acute  differences  with  his 
work-people. 

On  his  return  to  Pittsburgh  in  January,  1893,  he 
addressed  his  employees  at  Homestead,  in  the  course 
of  his  speech  saying:  *'  I  have  not  come  to  Pittsburgh 
to  rake  up,  but  to  bury  the  past.  It  should  be  ban- 
ished as   a  horrid  dream,  but  the  lessons  it  teaches 


88  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

should  be  laid  to  heart  for  future  application.  For 
twenty-six  years  our  concerns  have  met  with  only  one 
labor  stoppage.  I  trust  and  believe  that  this  record 
will  be  equaled  in  the  next  twenty-five  years.  When 
employer  and  employed  become  antagonistic  their 
antagonism  can  only  be  described  as  a  contest  between 
twin  brothers.  No  genuine  victory  is  possible  for 
either  side,  only  the  defeat  of  both."  On  all  occasions 
he  has  emphatically  denounced  labor  disputes,  but 
he  does  not  confine  his  sympathies  entirely  to  the 
employers.  The  following  paragraph  shows  that  he  is 
capable  of  looking  at  matters  sympathetically  from 
the  men's  standpoint.  "When  public  sentiment  has 
rightly  and  immistakably  condemned  violence,  even  in 
the  form  of  which  there  is  the  most  excuse,  I  would 
have  the  public  give  due  consideration  to  the  terrible 
temptation  to  which  the  workingman  on  strike  is  some- 
times subjected.  To  expect  that  one  dependent  upon 
his  daily  wage  for  the  necessities  of  life  will  stand  by 
peaceably  and  see  a  new  man  employed  in  his  stead  is 
to  expect  much.  This  poor  man  may  have  a  wife  and 
children  dependent  upon  his  labor.  Whether  medi- 
cine for  a  sick  child,  or  even  nourishing  food  for  a 
delicate  wife  is  procurable,  depends  upon  his  steady 
employment.  In  all  but  a  few  departments  of  labor 
it  is  unnecessary  and,  I  think,  improper  to  subject  men 
to  such  an  ordeal."     He  thinks  that  neither  the  best 


CONFLICTS  WITH  LABOR  89 

men  as  men  nor  the  best  men  as  workers  are  thus  to 
be  obtained. 

Mr.  Carnegie  has  also  detailed  a  number  of  sugges- 
tions for  the  peaceful  settlement  of  all  differences 
between  capital  and  labor.  His  main  solution  of  this 
exceedingly  difficult  problem  is  arbitration,  work  to  be 
continued  tmder  old  conditions  until  the  arbitrators 
come  to  a  decision.  But  he  does  not  state  whether 
arbitration  should  be  compulsory,  and  thereby  he 
shrinks  from  grappling  with  the  real  difficulty  of  the 
situation. 


His  Political  Faith 


CHAPTER  VII 

HIS  POLITICAL  FAITH 

PERHAPS  Mr.  CamegiC'S  most  striking  charac- 
teristic is  his  absolute  independence,  and  in 
nothing  is  this  more  evident  than  in  his  political  faith. 
He  brings  to  any  subject  a  vast  experience  of  the  world, 
a  shrewd  intellect  and  a  forceful  will,  and  irrespective 
of  all  other  views  strikes  out  his  line  of  thought. 
Authorities  are  nothing  to  him:  he  totally  disregards 
them;  and  with  a  bold  originality,  that  in  some 
instances  is  almost  staggering,  he  judges  a  question 
entirely  on  its  merits  as  it  appeals  to  his  own  mind. 
He  pierces  the  very  heart  of  things,  strips  a  question  of 
all  superfluities,  and  concentrates  all  his  energy  on 
absolute  essentials,  impatiently  brushing  to  one  side  all 
the  flummery  and  fancy  work  that  weave  themselves 
aro\md  political  issues.  Opportunism  is  abhorrent  to 
him,  and  he  heartily  detests  the  art  of  "sitting  on  the 
fence."  The  views  of  such  a  man  are  well  worthy  of 
critical  consideration. 

The  salient  feature  of  Mr.  Carnegie's  politics  is  his 
passionate  devotion  to  republican  government  such  as 
is  embodied  in  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States. 

93 


94  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

In  his  book,  "Triumphant  Democracy,'*  and  in  many 
magazine  articles  and  interviews,  he  lauds  the  glories  of 
American  democracy.  It  is  his  fetish,  and  he  is  an 
ardent  worshiper  at  its  shrine.  His  views,  therefore, 
on  this  subject,  an  English  writer  says,  ''are  scarcely 
likely  to  be  well  balanced,  and,  indeed,  they  resemble 
more  the  rhapsodies  of  an  enthusiast  than  the  judg- 
ment of  a  cool,  experienced  man  of  the  world."  The 
same  writer  quotes  this  instance  "  as  an  outburst  of  one- 
sided sentiment" : — "Ah,  favored  land !  the  best  of  the 
old  world  seek  your  shores  to  swell  to  still  greater  pro- 
portions your  assured  greatness.  That  all  come  only 
for  the  material  benefits  you  confer  I  do  not  believe. 
Crowning  these  material  considerations,  I  insist  that 
the  more  intelligent  of  these  people  feel  the  spirit  of 
true  manhood  stirring  within  them,  and  glory  in  the 
thought  that  they  are  to  become  part  of  a  powerful 
people,  of  a  government  founded  upon  the  bom  equality 
of  man,  free  from  military  despotism  and  class  distinc- 
tions; 117,000  came  last  month,  and  the  cry  is  still 
they  come !  Oh,  ye  self -constituted  rulers  of  men  in 
Europe,  know  you  not  that  the  knell  of  dynasties  and 
of  rank  is  sounding  ?  Are  you  so  deaf  that  you  do  not 
hear  the  thunders,  so  blind  that  you  do  not  see  the 
lightnings  which  now  and  then  give  warning  of  the 
storm  that  is  to  precede  the  reign  of  the  people?" 
But  though  in  some  directions  Mr.  Carnegie  allows 


HIS  POLITICAL  FAITH  95 

himself  to  go  to  extremes,  in  the  main  his  republican- 
ism represents  a  robust  and  healthy  confidence  in  an 
untrammeled  democracy.  He  is  a  fierce  opponent  of 
rank  and  class  distinctions,  and  he  holds  in  supreme 
contempt  the  privileged  classes  who  live  a  life  of  selfish 
luxury,  contributing  nothing  by  forced  industry  or 
volimtary  service  to  the  welfare  of  society.  But  lie 
is  far  from  being  a  socialist,  whom  he  describes  as 
a  balloon  farmer  "wanting  to  jump  to  the  moon  in 
one  bound."  His  ideal  is  a  government  of  the  people, 
by  the  people,  for  the  people. 

The  House  of  Lords  is  to  him  a  monstrosity  that 
ought  not  to  be  tolerated  for  one  moment.  He  holds 
that  its  members  are  drawn  from  the  most  incompetent 
sections  of  the  nation,  and  that  as  a  whole  they  are 
totally  unfit  to  perform  legislative  functions.  He 
considers  that  titles  have  a  blighting  influence  on  any 
one's  individuality,  and  he  illustrates  his  meaning  by 
contrasting  the  probable  places  in  history  of  Mr. 
Gladstone,  Lord  Beaconsfield  and  Lord  Salisbury.  '*I 
have  always  regarded  him  (Lord  Salisbury)  as  a  strik- 
ing instance  of  the  advantage  of  not  being  born  to 
hereditary  wealth  and  position.  Like  the  great 
foimder  of  the  Cecils,  Lord  Salisbury  himself  was  bom 
a  commoner ;  a  younger  son  with  a  younger  son's  por- 
tion, and  with  the  promptings  of  decided  ability  in  him, 
he  did  ever3rthing  in  his  power  to  prevent  being  nar- 


96  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

rowed  and  restricted  by  the  smothering  robes  of  rank 
and  wealth.  His  country's  law  forces  him  to  sink 
his  individuality  in  a  peerage,  but  for  which  England 
might  have  told  of  a  first  and  second  Cecil,  as  it 
tells  of  a  first  and  second  Pitt — men  too  great  to  be 
obliterated  as  men  by  any  title.  It  is  a  sad  descent 
in  historical  rank  from  'Cecil'  to  the  Marquis  of  any- 
thing. 

**The  highest  title  that  a  man  can  write  upon  the 
page  of  history  is  his  own  name.  Mr.  Gladstone's  will 
be  there;  Gladstone  he  is;  Gladstone  he  will  remain, 
even  if  he  tried  to  make  future  generations  lose  his 
commanding  personality  in  the  'Dukedom  of  Clydes- 
dale,' or  any  other  title  whatever.  But  who  among  his 
contemporaries  in  public  life  is  to  stand  this  supreme 
test  of  masterdom?  'Disraeli'  promised  well  for  a 
time,  but  he  fades  rapidly  into  '  Beaconsfield ' — a 
shadow  of  a  name.  The  title  proves  greater  than  the 
man." 

Mr.  Carnegie  is  an  out-and-out  radical,  and  strongly 
in  favor  of  drastic  social  reform.  But  his  enthusiasm 
for  Disestablishment,  One  Man  One  Vote,  Peasant 
Ownership  of  Land,  etc.,  is  submerged  in  his  passionate 
antagonism  to  the  principle  of  monarchical  govern- 
ment. "Were  I  in  public  life  in  Great  Britain,"  he 
writes,  "I  should  be  ashamed  to  waste  my  energies 
against  the  House  of  Lords,  Church  and  State,  primo- 


HIS  POLITICAL  FAITH  97 

geniture  and  entail,  and  all  the  other  branches  of  the 
monstrous  system;  I  should  strike  boldly  at  the  royal 
family,  the  root  of  the  upas  tree  from  which  springs  all 
these  wrongs.** 

At  one  time  it  was  nmiored  that  he  intended 
to  enter  the  British  Pariiament.  That  was  when 
Messrs.  Bright,  Chamberiain,  Dilke  and  Labouchere 
were  fighting  hard  in  the  vanguard  of  extreme 
radicalism.  They  had  Mr.  Carnegie's  fullest  sympathy 
and  support,  and  he  entertained  high  hopes  that  the 
dawn  of  republicanism  for  England  was  at  hand.  He 
was  on  terms  of  friendship  with  all  the  lights  of  liberal- 
ism in  its  palmiest  days.  For  Mr.  John  Morley,  and 
above  all  for  Mr.  Gladstone,  he  had  the  profoundest 
respect  and  admiration,  and  he  regarded  Mr.  Chamber- 
lain as  the  coming  leader  of  Democracy  and  future 
Prime  Minister  of  England. 

He  gave  expression  to  this  opinion  in  plain  terms  in 
1885,  when  he  presented  copies  of  Scribner's  Statistical 
Atlas  of  the  United  States,  showing  by  graphic  methods 
its  political,  social,  and  industrial  development. 

There  is  a  significance  about  this  incident  which  it 
is  interesting  to  recall  at  the  present  jimcture  in 
English  politics,  but  this  does  not  mean  that  these 
views  are  still  held  by  Mr.  Carnegie,  who  does  not 
now  regard  the  monarchy  as  a  rival  to  popular  self- 
government. 


98  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

On  a  blank  page  of  one  atlas  he  wrote : 

''Presented  to 
THE  FREE  LIBRARY  OF  BIRMINGHAM 

BY 

ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

Newport,  June  g,  1885. 

"Let  the  men  of  Birmingham  note  what 
their  kin  beyond  the  sea  are  doing  under 
Republican  institutions  founded  upon  the 
equality  of  the  Citizen  —  a  land  where 
throne  and  aristocracy  are  alike  unknown. 

A.  C." 

The  other  atlas  he  inscribed  as  follows : 

"To 
JOSEPH  CHAMBERLAIN 

The  leader  of  the  masses  and  future  Premier 
of  Britain,  I  send  this  record  of  the  reign 
of  the  people  under  institutions  based  upon 
the  only  true  doctrine,  the  political  equality 
of  the  Citizen. 

Andrew  Carnegie. 
"New  York,  November  18,  1885.'' 

Foiir  years  afterwards  Mr.  Chamberlain  presented 
this  interesting  document  as  a  companion  copy  to 
the  Birmingham  Free  Library.  A  printed  slip  an- 
nouncing the  gift  was  placed  inside  the  atlas  for  the 
guidance  and  instruction  of  readers. 


HIS   POLITICAL  FAITH  99 

Of  English  M.  P.'s  as  a  whole  Mr.  Carnegie  has  no 
flattering  opinion.  He  thinks  they  are  sadly  lacking  in 
steadfastness,  thoroughness  and  courage.  "So  many 
public  men  in  England  'stoop  to  conquer,'  forgetting 
that  whatever  else  they  may  conquer  thereafter  they 
can  never  conquer  that  *  stoop '  which  drags  down  their 
life."  And  in  another  place  he  scoffs  at  their  timidity. 
"English  politicians  are  mostly  nibblers,  small  morsels 
at  a  time,  though  Gladstone  can  take  a  good  bite  when 
put  to  it." 

Mr.  Carnegie  applies  one  principle  for  the  United 
States  and  an  altogether  different  one  for  Great  Britain, 
because  the  one  had  to  create  manufactures  and  the 
other  had  them.  Take  the  tariff  question.  For 
America  he  is  an  out-and-out  Protectionist ;  for  England 
he  is  an  out-and-out  Free  Trader.  His  arguments 
in  favor  of  Free  Trade  for  England  can  be  readily 
agreed  with,  but  the  reasons  he  originally  gave  for  his 
support  of  a  protective  tariff  for  America  have  long 
ago  disappeared.  He  maintained  that  heavy  import 
duties  were  necessary  in  order  to  enable  the  American 
manufacturer  to  hold  the  home  market  against  the 
foreigner,  and  he  considered  his  own  industries  of 
iron  and  steel  especially  needed  this  assistance.  But 
to  this  view  he  added  the  important  qualification  that 
he  was  not  in  favor  of  protection  beyond  the  point 
necessary  to  allow  America  to  retain  her  home  market 


100  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

in  a  fair  contest  with  the  foreigner.  For  the  last  five 
years  at  least  the  conditions  have  been  exactly  the 
reverse  of  those  put  forward  by  Mr.  Carnegie  as  justify- 
ing the  McKinley  Tariff.  Mr.  Carnegie,  however, 
though  he  has  not  made  any  appeal  for  the  abolition 
of  the  protective  duty,  has  twice  advised  reductions 
which  were  made,  and  he  is  in  favor  of  further  reduc- 
tions now.  He  has  been  consistent  always  in  this 
matter,  and  offended  his  party,  advocating  protection 
only  as  a  path  to  free  trade. 

The  keynote  of  one  of  his  most  vigorous  articles, 
''What  Would  I  Do  with  the  Tariff  if  I  were  Czar?" 
is  the  taxing  of  luxuries,  the  imported  articles  the  rich 
consider  indispensable  and  can  afford  to  pay  for;  on 
the  necessaries  of  life  he  would  reduce  the  tariff  corre- 
spondingly. 

Protection  or  no  protection,  Andrew  Carnegie's 
genius  was  bound  to  lift  him  to  a  high  position.  Much 
more  absurd  and  much  more  venomous  is  the  insinua- 
tion, at  one  time  freely  made  in  the  States,  that  his 
influential  support  of  the  Republican  party  was  bought 
at  the  price  of  its  adhesion  to  the  McKinley  Tariff 
Bill.  That  he  should  be  attacked  in  this  way  is,  per- 
haps, the  natural  consequence  of  his  prominence  in  the 
political  arena.  Protection,  however,  was  by  no  means 
the  subject  to  which  he  gave  most  attention.  He 
attached  far  more  importance  to  the  Silver  Question, 


HIS  POLITICAL   FAITH  loi 

on  which  he  was  one  of  Mr.  Bryan's  most  formidable 
antagonists. 

Reverting  to  his  interest  in  British  politics,  it  is 
interesting  to  note  that,  despite  his  admiration  for 
Mr.  Gladstone  and  his  devotion  to  Mr.  Morley,  he 
could  not  accept  unqualified  their  Irish  policy.  He  was 
in  favor  of  simply  giving  Ireland  the  fullest  measure  of 
local  self-government,  and  making  her  status  in  the 
Empire  the  same  as  that  of  a  Federal  State  in  the 
American  Union. 

A  dominating  factor  in  Mr.  Camegie*s  politics  is  his 
love  of  peace.  His  hatred  and  abhorrence  of  war 
amounted  almost  to  a  passion.  In  1881  he  said  that  to 
him  the  real  glory  of  America  lay  in  the  fact  that  she 
had  no  army  worth  the  name,  and  that  her  navy  could 
boast  of  scarcely  a  single  efficient  warship.  **What 
has  America  to  do,"  he  writes,  "following  in  the  wake 
of  brutal,  pugilistic  nations  still  under  the  influence  of 
feudal  institutions,  who  exhaust  their  revenues  training 
men  how  best  to  butcher  their  fellows,  and  in  build- 
ing ships  for  purposes  of  destruction."  He  has  de- 
nounced in  emphatic  terms  both  the  Philippine  and 
South  African  conflicts  as  unjust  and  foolish  in  the 
extreme,  and  he  bitterly  laments  what  he  considers  to 
be  this  hateful*  relapse  of  the  English-speaking  race 
from  its  great  ideals  of  peace  and  freedom.  Lifelong 
Republican  though  he  has  been,  his  feelings  on  the 


I02  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

war  policy  were  so  strong  that  he  severed  his  allegiance 
to  the  Government  and  ranged  himself  alongside  the 
Bryanites,  to  whom  he  was  opposed  on  every  other 
public  question.  No  one  who  does  not  know  the  excep- 
tional strength  of  party  ties  and  party  loyalty  that 
exist  in  the  United  States  can  understand  how  keenly 
such  a  staunch  party  man  as  Andrew  Carnegie  must 
have  felt  this  separation  from  old  friends  and  associa- 
tions. But  holding  the  views  that  he  did  he  felt  boimd 
to  give  expression  to  them.  He  believed  that  America 
was  entering  upon  a  policy  of  imperial  expansion  and 
colonial  dominion  that  would  lead  to  a  policy  of  mili- 
tarism and  aggression.  Vigorously  and  vehemently 
he  attacked  the  Government,  and  bitterly  denounced 
what  he  considered  its  fatal  departure  from  the  tradi- 
tional policy  of  the  nation.  He  advises  both  America 
and  Britain  to  leave  the  blacks  to  look  after  themselves, 
a  sentiment  admirably  suited  for  theoretical  discussion, 
but  when  applied  for  practical  purposes  it  resolves  itself 
into  an  utter  and  impossible  neglect  of  duty. 

In  his  political  controversies  Mr.  Carnegie  often 
indulges  in  prophecies,  and  one  thing  he  predicted 
twenty  years  ago  was  the  decay  of  Parliament  and 
pulpit  and  the  rise  of  the  newspaper  and  the  review. 
*'  The  brain  of  a  cotmtry,*'  he  says,  "will  be  foimd  where 
the  real  work  is  to  be  done.  The  House  of  Lords  regis- 
ters the  decrees  of  the  House  of  Commons.    The  House 


HIS  POLITICAL  FAITH  103 

of  Commons  is  soon  to  register  the  decree  of  the  monthly 
magazines.  In  the  next  generation  the  debates  of 
Parliament  will  affect  the  political  currents  of  the  age  as 
little  as  the  fulminations  of  the  pulpit  affect  religious 
thought  at  present.  The  press  is  the  imiversal  parlia- 
ment. The  leaders  in  that  forum  make  your  statesmen 
dance  as  they  pipe.  If  any  man  wants  bona  fide  sub- 
stantial power  and  influence  in  this  world,  he  must 
handle  the  pen — ^that's  flat.  Truly  it  is  a  nobler 
weapon  than  the  sword  and  the  tongue,  both  of  which 
have  nearly  had  their  day." 

At  one  time  Mr.  Carnegie  entertained  the  idea  of 
covering  England  with  a  network  of  Radical  news- 
papers, through  which  he  could  impress  the  masses 
with  his  political  views.  He  acquired  no  less  than 
eighteen  organs  of  the  press,  but  he  does  not  seem  to 
have  entered  on  the  work  with  his  usual  thoroughness 
and  determination ;  and  although  he  managed  to  make 
a  commercial  success  of  the  scheme,  its  political  results 
did  not  realize  expectations. 

In  regard  to  religious  matters  Mr.  Carnegie  takes  up 
an  independent  position.  He  is  emphatically  not  an 
agnostic.  He  believes  in  Christianity  and  in  the 
goodness  of  God,  but  his  great  human  spirit  is  not  to  be 
bound  by  the  formulas  of  sects  and  creeds.  He  tells 
a  very  amusing  anecdote  of  an  incident  that  happened 
when  he  was  traveling  in  China.    He  essayed  his 


r^ 


I04  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

powers  as  a  missionary  on  one  of  the  subjects  of  the 
Celestial  Empire,  and  the  result  was  not  very  encourag- 
ing for  him.  He  relates  the  story  as  follows:  ''One 
day  I  asked  our  guide,  Ah  Cum,  a  gentleman  and  a 
scholar,  why  he  did  not  embrace  Christianity.  His 
eyes  twinkled  as  he  replied,  'Where  goee,  eh?  Goee 
Bishopee  ?  '  (pointing  to  the  Cathedral).  *  He  say  allee 
rightee.  Goee  there  ?'  (pointing  to  the  English  church). 
*  Bishopee  say  damee.  Goee  Hopper?'  (the  American 
Presbyterian  missionary).  'He  sayee  Bishop  churchee 
no  goodee,  hellee  firee.  What  I  doee,  eh?'  'Stay 
where  you  are,  you  rogue,'"  replied  Mr.  Carnegie,  and 
he  adds,  "Confound  that  fellow,  I  did  not  expect  to  be 
picked  up  in  that  manner."  Mr.  Carnegie  thinks  it  is 
useless  to  preach  to  the  heathen  one  God  and  half  a 
dozen  creeds.  He  considers  that  to-day  the  pulpit 
exercises  very  little  influence  on  the  life  of  the  world. 
He  thinks  that  its  sentiments  are  practically  ignored 
by  men  of  action  and  work.  "Who  cares,"  he  says, 
"what  the  Rev.  Mr.  Froth  preaches  when  he  ventures 
beyond  the  homilies."  He  describes  the  parson  to 
suit  him  to  be  one  who  says  little  and  does  much.  He 
has,  however,  very  great  faith  in  the  refining  and 
elevating  influence  of  music,  which  he  speaks  of  as 
heaven's  chief  mediimi. 

We  have  seen  that  Mr.  Carnegie  is  an  optimist  of  the 
optimists.     The  progress  of  the  world  and  the  advance 


HIS   POLITICAL  FAITH  105 

of  the  English-speaking  race  are  to  him  as  inevitable 
as  that  night  should  follow  day,  and  his  faith  shines 
steady  and  clear  through  all  discouragement.  "  God's 
in  His  heaven,  all's  right  with  the  world,"  aptly  de- 
scribes his  view  of  the  many  mysteries  of  human  life. 
The  following  quotation  gives  one  an  insight  into  the 
standpoint  from  which  he  looks  out  on  things:  "It 
is  a  criminal  waste  of  time  and  thought  to  dwell  much 
upon  what  is  to  come  in  the  far  unknown  future.  I 
am  an  evolutionist.  My  teacher  is  Herbert  Spencer. 
It  is  impossible  to  set  bounds  to  what  the  human  race 
can  do,  or  what  it  may  become,  physically,  mentally, 
or  socially.  .  .  .  We  are  all  traveling  in  the 
same  direction,  and  finally,  I  believe,  to  heaven.** 

And  now  we  come  to  the  political  project  which  is 
dearer  to  Mr.  Carnegie  than  anything  else,  and  to 
accomplish  which  he  would  gladly  sacrifice  his  fortune. 
Mr.  Gladstone  once  described  Mr.  Carnegie  as  so  inter- 
woven in  his  interests  between  America  and  England 
that  he  formed  a  living  link  between  them.  The  one 
supreme  desire  of  Mr.  Carnegie  is  to  weave  together  the 
interests  of  the  two  nations  and  form  them  into  one 
vast  confederacy.  He  is  an  enthusiastic  advocate  of 
the  Federation  of  English-speaking  peoples,  and  he 
is  very  sanguine  about  the  possibilities  of  its  achieve- 
ment, believing  that  the  idea  would  be  heartily  wel- 
comed by  the  vast  majority  of  the  people  of  the  United 


io6  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

States,  and  that  it  would  command  the  enthusiastic 
support  of  the  colonies.  The  mother  country  alone, 
he  thinks,  is  lukewarm  in  the  matter.  It  is  only  in 
political  ideas,  he  points  out,  that  there  is  any  dissimi- 
larity. In  language,  literature,  religion  and  law  we  are 
a  united  race.  Britain,  he  maintains,  has  everything 
to  gain  by  amalgamation  of  interests.  Her  produce 
would  enter  the  world's  finest  market — ^the  United 
States — free  of  duty,  and  the  accession  of  strength 
she  would  acquire  by  reunion  wotdd  relieve  her  from 
all  fear  of  European  combinations.  If  England 
holds  back  on  this  vital  question,  he  predicts  her 
downfall  from  her  present  proud  position  as  head  of  the 
Anglo-Saxon  race.  **The  only  cotirse  for  Britain  seems 
to  me  to  be  reunion  with  her  giant  child,  or  sure  decline 
to  a  secondary  place,  and  then  comparative  insignifi- 
cance in  the  future  annals  of  the  English-speaking 
race." 

He  looks  upon  this  reunion  as  the  one  great  hope 
for  the  peace  and  progress  of  the  world.  He  claims 
that  the  welfare  of  humanity  imperatively  calls  for  the 
consolidation  of  Anglo-American  power.  Such  a  fed- 
eration would  be  invincible  both  in  the  arts  of  peace 
and  of  war,  for  it  would  combine  the  control  of  the 
premier  financial  and  manufacturing  resources,  with 
the  possession  of  the  finest  human  material  on  earth. 
Its  supremacy  would  be  incontestable  and  would  com- 


HIS  POLITICAL  FAITH  107 

mand  universal  respect.  By  reason  of  its  power  it 
could  set  itself  up  as  the  arbiter  of  the  world's  disputes. 
The  enormous  waste  of  expenditure  in  maintaining 
bloated  armaments  would  be  stopped,  and  never  again 
would  legalized  slaughter  of  man  dishonor  the  human 
race. 

But  is  this  noble  aspiration  of  Mr.  Carnegie's  any- 
thing more  than  a  castle  in  the  air,  and  is  any  progress 
being  made  toward  its  realization?  What  has  he  to 
put  forward  against  the  thousand  and  one  practical 
objections  with  which  his  ideal  could  easily  be  riddled  ? 
First  and  foremost  he  sets  forth  the  exigencies  of  com- 
merce and  the  blood  affinity  of  the  two  peoples — the 
mightiest  forces  for  reimion  that  could  possibly  be 
imagined.  In  addition  to  this,  Mr.  Carnegie  regards 
the  abridgment  of  distance  as  a  favorable  factor  of 
much  importance.  The  telegraph  and  the  steamboat 
have  greatly  facilitated  the  means  of  intercommunica- 
tion and  intervisitation,  and  travel  nowadays  is 
attended  with  every  comfort  and  luxury.  Never  was 
there  a  time  when  so  many  Englishmen  and  Americans 
intervisited  so  often  between  the  two  countries.  And 
Mr.  Carnegie  claims  that  the  stanchest  supporters 
of  reunion,  and  those  who  are  most  convinced  of  its 
practicability,  are  to  be  found  among  those  who  have 
most  frequently  crossed  the  "pond"  and  come  into 
contact  with  both  peoples.     The  more  extensive  their 


io8  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

knowledge  and  their  travel,  the  more  confirmed  are 
they  in  their  faith.  In  social  life  the  greatest  cor- 
diality exists  between  the  constituents  of  the  two 
nations,  while  the  masses  of  both  seize  every  oppor- 
tunity to  express  publicly  their  enthusiasm  for  the 
project.  'Xet  men  say  what  they  will,  therefore," 
Mr.  Carnegie  concludes,  "I  say  that  as  surely  as  the 
sun  in  the  heavens  once  shone  upon  Britain  and 
America  united,  so  surely  it  is  one  morning  to  rise, 
shine  upon  and  greet  again  "The  Re-United  States," 
"The  British- American  Union/' 


International  Competition 


CHAPTER    VIII 

INTERNATIONAL   COMPETITION 

THE  race  for  commercial  supremacy  between  the 
old  and  the  new  world  is  now  the  all-engrossing 
question  of  the  hour.  The  last  generation  has  wit- 
nessed a  remarkable  change  in  the  rapid  advance  which 
the  traders  of  the  West  have  made  upon  the  markets  of 
the  world.  The  development  of  the  United  States 
as  a  trade  competitor  with  European  countries  is  the 
most  conspicuous  landmark  in  the  commercial  history 
of  the  nineteenth  century.  Supported  by  unlimited 
natural  resources,  it  has  made  enormous  strides  as  a 
manufacturing  country.  Its  citizens,  buoyant  with 
youthful  energy  and  ambition,  have  utilized  to  the  full 
every  advantage  within  their  power.  Armed  with 
the  latest  weapons  they  have  successfully  attacked 
foreign  markets,  and  to-day  American  manufacturers 
hold  a  strong  position  in  almost  every  commercial 
comer  in  the  world.  This  wonderful  progress  has 
been  due  to  several  causes,  prominent  among  which 
are  its  enormous  mineral  wealth,  cheap  locomotion, 
protectionist  duties,  a  dogged  enterprise,  and  an 
inherent  commercial  skill. 

Ill 


112  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

No  American  has  made  such  an  impress  upon  the 
trade  of  the  worid  as  Andrew  Carnegie.  The  greatest 
iron  and  steel  producer,  he  has  led  the  American  attack 
on  all  the  markets  in  its  most  important  sphere,  namely, 
the  region  of  i:on  and  steel  manufacture.  The  pros- 
perity of  a  manufacturing  coimtry  is  to  be  measured 
in  the  main  by  the  prosperity  of  its  iron  and  steel 
industries,  and  it  is  in  this  realm  of  industry  that 
Andrew  Carnegie  has  earned  his  title  of  King.  His 
ability  to  deliver  promptly  owing  to  his  skilfully 
equipped  works,  and  the  low  price  he  could  accept 
as  a  result  of  having  at  his  elbow  cheap  material  and 
quick  facilities  for  production,  gave  him  an  immense 
advantage  over  his  competitors.  He  conducted  his 
business  on  a  large  scale,  fully  confident  of  securing  a 
fair  share  of  the  world's  patronage.  His  strong  faith 
told  him  to  cast  his  net,  and  he  obeyed.  The  harvest 
he  has  brought  safely  to  land  is  now  the  admira- 
tion of  the  whole  world.  Having  won  a  great  industrial 
victory,  Mr.  Carnegie  should  be  in  an  authoritative 
position  to  speak  upon  the  present  state  of  trade  and 
the  commercial  prospects  of  the  old  and  new  worlds. 
His  innate  sense  of  justice,  his  well  balanced  intellect 
and  his  wide  experience  entitle  his  views  to  careful 
consideration. 

Although  a  Scotchman  by  birth,  hard-headed,  thrifty 
and  industrious,  Mr.  Carnegie  is  by  training  a  typical 


INTERNATIONAL  COMPETITION        113 

American.  He  has  won  his  fortune  in  the  land  of 
big  things,  and  it  is  only  natural  he  should  have  a 
very  high  opinion  of  America's  industrial  resources 
and  commercial  future.  He  considers  the  United 
States  in  many  respects  far  ahead  of  Great  Britain,  and 
holds  that  really  the  mother  country  will  have  to  bestir 
itself  if  it  is  even  to  occupy  a  second  place  on  the  list. 
**The  Briton  has  now,"  he  says,  *'to  meet  in  industrial 
rivalry  men  of  his  own  blood ;  what  is  more,  men  of  his 
own  blood  developed  under  more  favorable  circimi- 
stances."  But  although  he  considers  the  American 
workman  "the  ablest,  quickest  and  most  versatile 
worker  the  world  has  ever  seen,"  he  at  the  same  time 
believes  the  old  country  will  yet  make  a  gallant  struggle, 
especially  if  she  will  change  her  methods  and  show 
more  enterprise.  America  has  the  great  advantage 
that  "whereas  her  resources  have  only  been  scratched, 
as  it  were,  the  raw  materials  of  the  old  coimtry  are 
rapidly  being  worked  out." 

Probably  very  few  Britons  will  agree  with  his  gloomy 
view  of  the  future,  when  he  pictures  their  islands  as 
the  ancestral  home  and  the  garden  and  pleasure-groimd 
of  the  race.  This  elysium  is  to  come  into  existence 
when  "British  manufactures  have  gone  one  by  one," 
and  when,  as  a  nation,  "we  shall  not  be  able  to  support 
a  population  of  more  than  fifteen  millions." 

He  contributed  a  practical  and  stable  article  to  the 


114  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

pages  of  the  Nineteenth  Century  and  After  review  for 
June,  1 90 1,  and  one  which,  although  somewhat  un- 
palatable to  the  imperialistic  taste,  contained  much 
food  for  thought.  The  article  was  couched  in  a  more 
optimistic  strain,  and  made  a  bold  attack  on  ''British 
Pessimism,"  which  he  was  surprised  to  find  had 
obtained  such  a  strong  hold  on  English  industrial  life. 
Although  he  has  visited  his  native  land  for  thirty  years 
or  more,  he  could  not  recollect  having  met  with  such  a 
state  of  despondency  amongst  the  leaders  of  British 
industries.  But  continuing,  he  immediately  strikes  a 
cheerful  note,  and  says  that  "though  your  monopoly 
has  gone  your  supremacy  has  not ;  that  so  far  there  is 
no  actual  retrogression  or  inherent  decay." 

Mr,  Carnegie  is  of  the  opinion  that  England's  legis- 
lators would  spend  their  time  more  profitably  if  they 
paid  more  attention  to  commercial  affairs  and  less  to 
political  wrangling.  He  argues  that  "a  profitable 
home  market  is  the  strongest  weapon  that  can  be  used 
to  conquer  markets  abroad."  The  qualities  of  the 
race,  he  says,  "lie  dormant,  and  are  still  there;  the 
dogged  endurance,  the  ambition  to  excel,  the  will  to 
do  or  die,  are  all  there,  but  it  has  not  been  found 
necessary  to  drill  them  into  disciplined  action." 

Not  until  British  manufacturers  are  face  to  face  with 
ruin,  and  are  compelled  for  lack  of  work  to  close  their 
mills,  does  Mr.  Carnegie  think  they  will  rouse  them- 


INTERNATIONAL  COMPETITION        115 

selves  from  their  lethargy  bom  of  custom  and 
monopoly.  When  this  hour  arrives  he  little  doubts 
that  they  will  rise  to  the  occasion  and  manifest  to  the 
worid  their  true  qualities ;  but  by  that  time  he  is  very 
much  afraid  the  financial  burdens  of  the  coimtry  will 
be  so  heavy  that  they  will  be  imable  to  make  up  their 
lost  ground.  He  regards  with  misgiving  "the  aggres- 
sive temper  which  has  alienated  other  governments 
and  peoples,  and  mistaken  territorial  acquisition  for 
genuine  empire  building."  This  dangerous  growth, 
he  maintains,  will  not  only  largely  increase  the  nation's 
financial  burdens,  but  will  deprive  it  of  its  productive 
capacity  and  decrease  its  volume  of  trade.  If  ever  a 
nation  had  a  clear  and  unmistakable  warning  that  the 
time  had  arrived  when  it  should  henceforth  measure 
its  responsibilities  and  ambitions  throughout  the  world 
with  its  resources,  and  cut  its  garment  according  to 
its  cloth,  Mr.  Carnegie  thinks,  it  is  /'the  dear  old  mother- 
land of  the  race,  with  its  trade  stationary  and  an  army 
of  thirty  thousand  men  or  more  to  be  provided  for  in 
South  Africa  even  after  peace  comes ;  its  expenditures 
and  taxation  increasing,  and  its  promises  to  pay  already 
at  such  a  discoimt  as  to  attract  capital  from  acrgss  the 
Atlantic." 

He  has  often  pointed  out  that  in  the  United  States 
and  Germany  the  controlling  factor  of  diplomacy  is 
the  expansion  of  trade.     Mr.  Carnegie  looks  at  this 


ii6  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

question  in  the  dry  light  of  hard  business  experience, 
and  the  test  he  applies  to  the  policy  of  Great  Britain 
is — "Does  it  pay?"  This  test  may  seem  harshly 
materialistic,  but  this  is  a  materialistic  world,  and  how- 
ever glorious  may  be  her  traditions,  however  extensive 
may  be  her  empire,  however  powerful  may  be  her 
army  and  navy,  if  Great  Britain  loses  her  trade  these 
things  cannot  prevent  her  downfall.  To-day  com- 
merce is  the  life-blood  of  a  nation,  and  should  be 
regarded  as  its  paramount  consideration.  This  fact 
has  been  lost  sight  of  in  the  territorial  expansion  of 
Great  Britain.  They  go  to  an  enormous  expense  in 
opening  up  vast  territories  and  in  conquering  subject 
races,  but  they  receive  no  corresponding  compensation 
under  their  policy  of  free  trade  which  gives  the  German 
and  American  equal  commercial  opportunities  with 
themselves.  They  acquire  shadowy  supremacy  with- 
out any  material  benefits.  ''Trade  does  not  follow  the 
flag/*  Mr.  Carnegie  argues;  ''it  follows  the  lowest  price 
current  y 

The  gist  of  his  argument  is  that  Great  Britain  should 
have  a  Minister  of  Commerce,  whose  special  work 
would  be  to  protect  the  interests  of  British  traders, 
and  utilize  to  the  full  for  commercial  purposes  their 
world-wide  possessions.  This  office  will  no  doubt  be 
created  when  international  competition  has  captured 
more  of  their  markets  abroad. 


INTERNATIONAL  COMPETITION         117 

Foreign  trade  has  not  such  a  strong  fascination 
for  Mr.  Carnegie  as  may  be  supposed.  He  told  the 
Institute  of  Civil  Engineers,  in  May,  1901,  "You  must 
look  at  home,  and  develop  the  material  you  have 
there.  The  way  to  get  hold  of  foreign  markets  is  to 
get  hold  of  and  conquer  the  markets  at  home." 

Commercial  supremacy  and  commercial  education 
are  indissolubly  linked  together,  and  when  we  turn  to 
examine  Mr.  Carnegie's  views  on  education  we  find 
much  that  is  worthy  of  notice.  We  have  already 
mentioned  his  firm  belief  that  the  policy  he  pursued  of 
throwing  responsibility  upon  young  men  and  taking 
those  of  exceptional  ability  into  partnership  has  con- 
tributed more  than  anything  else  to  his  success  in  busi- 
ness. It  is  not  the  unrivaled  resources  of  America 
the  English  have  cause  to  envy  most,  he  says,  nor  its 
wonderful  machinery,  but  the  class  of  yoimg  men  that 
manage  the  undertakings  there,  and,  he  adds,  he  can 
find  no  such  class  in  England.  The  reason  why 
English  yoimg  men  are  not  the  equals,  in  his  opinion, 
to  their  American  cousins  is  simply  because  they  have 
not  had  the  same  educational  opportunities. 

"It  is  a  result  of  your  system  of  education,"  he 
told  a  representative  of  the  Daily  News  Weekly.  "  The 
universities  of  America  do  not  exalt  science  above 
classics,  but  they  do  place  them  upon  a  more  equal 
footing  than  you  do.    Classical  subjects  have  received 


ii8  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

encouragement  and  have  been  developed,  whereas 
scientific  education  has  not  been.  Now,  I  believe  that 
the  continuance  of  Great  Britain  as  one  of  the  principal 
manufacturing  nations  will  not  be  secured  by  having 
a  greater  number  of  her  people  learning  the  dead 
languages  of  dead  nations,  dwelling  together  in  the 
past,  but  by  a  larger  percentage  of  her  young  men 
becoming  experts  in  various  branches  of  science,  and 
being  taught  to  be  scientific  managers  of  her  industries, 
displacing  the  rule  of  thumb  managers.  It  is  a  ques- 
tion what  type  of  a  man  is  now  needed  to  keep  England 
abreast  of  her  competitors." 

In  connection  with  this  question  of  trade  supremacy, 
the  following  information  relating  to  commercial  educa- 
tion in  America  will  be  of  interest.  No  less  than  five 
of  the  leading  colleges  and  universities  of  the  United 
States  have  given  a  place  in  their  curriculum  to 
commercial  courses  or  have  established  Schools  of 
Commerce.  The  students  are  given  a  course  of  teaching 
comprising  the  most  serviceable  instruction  in  the 
following  subjects:  bookkeeping,  commercial  geogra- 
phy, transport  systems,  money  and  banking,  busi- 
ness organization  and  management,  economics  and 
economic  history.  In  addition,  it  is  recognized  that 
the  prospective  manufacturer  should  be  familiar  with 
the  various  processes  through  which  the  chief  articles 
of  commerce  have  to  pass  before  they  reach  their 


INTERNATIONAL  COMPETITION        119 

finished  state.  This  knowledge  is  imparted  through  a 
course  on  "The  Materials  of  Commerce,"  which  is 
illustrated  as  far  as  possible  by  practical  experiments. 
A  knowledge  of  law  is  a  further  advantage  to  a  business 
man,  and  this  is  provided  by  courses  on  commercial 
law,  tariff  legislation,  and  the  laws  pertaining  to  labor, 
capital  and  corporations.  The  usual  instruction  in 
modem  languages,  chemical  research  and  physical 
science  is  given,  and  students  are  at  liberty  to  study 
for  a  particular  trade  or  for  work  in  a  foreign 
country.  Candidates  for  a  degree  must  pass  in  all 
these  branches. 

A  thorough  commercial  education  is  the  strongest 
foundation  for  business  success,  but  Mr.  Carnegie 
believes  that  another  phase  of  knowledge  is  also 
requisite.  He  says : "  The  study  of  human  nature  is  the 
best  education  for  any  business  man.  But  whether 
a  young  man  chooses  a  scientific  or  a  classical  educa- 
tion, if  he  wishes  to  pursue  a  business  career  he  should 
not  remain  long  at  college  or  at  the  university.  All  my 
brilliant  partners  began  hard,  practical  work  in  their 
*  teens.  I  think  a  course  at  a  modem  university  from 
nineteen  to  twenty-four  will  not  teach  a  young  fellow 
to  be  as  successful  a  business  man  as  if  he  had  been 
sent  into  business  in  a  subordinate  capacity.  This  is 
not  disparaging  university  education,  for  I  limit  the 
-observation  to  the  business  career." 


I20  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

Mr.  Carnegie  is,  above  everything  else,  a  man  of 
action.  He  is  a  self-made  millionaire,  and  has  built 
up  his  huge  fortune  by  the  power  of  his  brain;  it  is 
therefore  only  natural  he  should  have  a  strong  admira- 
tion for  those  who  seek  practical  experience  and  are 
desirous  of  adding  to  their  knowledge  by  contact  with 
hard  work.  He  has,  however,  a  strong  faith  in  educa- 
tion, as  was  so  strikingly  illustrated  by  his  munificent 
gifts  of  $250,000  to  the  Birmingham  University, 
$10,000,000  for  the  Scotch  universities  and  $10,000,000 
to  the  Carnegie  Institute,  and  in  this  sphere  it  may  be 
taken  for  granted  he  will  distribute  a  large  share  of  his 
wealth.  Compared  with  other  nations  Mr.  Carnegie 
recognizes  the  backward  state  of  technical  education 
in  England,  and  if  they  are  to  retain  their  commercial 
position  he  thinks  it  will  be  absolutely  necessary  for 
them  to  overhaul  and  modernize  their  educational 
machinery  and  to  put  it  in  proper  and  efficient  working 
order.  To  keep  in  the  forefront  of  the  international 
trade  fight  will  mean  a  stem  struggle,  but  it  can  be 
accomplished,  he  says,  if  Britain  goes  to  the  root  of 
the  question  and  arms  the  rising  generation  with  a 
sound  and  practical  education.  In  the  letter  he  sent 
to  the  Right  Hon.  Joseph  Chamberlain,  M.  P.,  offering 
to  give  $250,000  to  the  funds  of  the  Birmingham 
University,  he  stated  his  views  on  commercial  edu- 
cation   in    a  very   plain    and    businesslike   manner. 


INTERNATIONAL  COMPETITION         121 

"Dear  Mr.  Chamberlain: — ^You  have  interested 
me  in  your  proposed  university  at  Birmingham  for  the 
people  of  the  Midlands. 

*'  May  I  suggest  that  an  opportunity  exists  for  such 
an  institution  to  perform  a  great  service  for  the  whole 
country  ? 

"After  the  members  of  the  Iron  and  Steel  Institute 
had  returned  to  New  York  from  their  tour  of  observa- 
tion through  the  United  States,  the  officials  dined  with 
me.  Many  pleasing  short  speeches  were  made.  The 
close  of  one  I  have  never  forgotten.  A  partner  in  one 
of  your  foremost  steel  companies  said:  'Mr.  Carnegie, 
it  is  not  your  wonderful  machinery,  not  even  your 
unequaled  supplies  of  minerals,  which  we  have  most 
cause  to  envy.  It  is  something  worth  both  of  these 
combined — ^the  class  of  scientific  young  experts  you 
have  to  manage  every  department  of  your  works. 
We  have  no  corresponding  class  in. England,^ 

"Never  were  truer  words  spoken.  Now  this  class 
you  must  sooner  or  later  secure  if  Britain  is  to  remain 
one  of  the  principal  manufacturing  nations,  and  it 
seems  to  me  the  Midlands  is  the  very  soil  upon  which 
it  can  most  surely  be  produced. 

"If  I  were  in  your  place  I  should  recognize  the 
futility  of  trying  to  rival  Oxford  and  Cambridge,  which, 
even  if  possible,  would  be  useless.  The  twin  seats  of 
learning  have  their  mission,  and  fulfil  it ;  but  Binning- 


122  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

ham  should  make  the  scientific  the  principal  depart- 
ment, the  classical  subsidiary.  If  Birmingham  were 
to  adopt  the  policy  suggested,  taking  our  Cornell 
University  as  its  model,  where  the  scientific  has  won 
first  place  in  the  number  of  students,  and  give  degrees 
in  science  as  in  classics,  I  should  be  delighted  to  con- 
tribute the  last  ;£5 0,000  of  the  sum  you  have  set  out  to 
raisCj  to  establish  a  scientific  department. 

"  I  am  sure  our  people  of  the  Birmingham  across  the 
Atlantic  will  heartily  approve  this  gift  to  their  proto- 
type on  this  side  of  the  water,  for  what  does  not  the 
younger  owe  of  its  greatness  and  prosperity  to  the  old 
land.  Bessemer,  Siemens,  Thomas — the  triumvirate 
through  whose  inventions  we  have  been  enabled  to 
make  and  sell  steel  by  the  millions  of  tons  at  three 
pounds  for  a  penny — all  made  their  experiments  in 
your  midst. 

''Let  the  gift,  therefore,  be  considered  as  only  a 
slight  acknowledgment  of  a  debt  which  Pittsburgh,  the 
greatest  beneficiary  of  your  steel  inventions,  can  never 
hope  to  repay. 

"Wishing  you  speedy  success, 
"  Sincerely  yours, 

"Andrew  Carnegie." 

The  object  of  this  broad-minded  millionaire  is  to 
place  before  the  youth  of  Britain  the  same  educational 
opportunities  as  are  enjoyed  by  young  men  in  the 


INTERNATIONAL  COMPETITION         123 

United  States  and  on  the  Continent.  If  words  of 
warning  and  magnificent  pecuniary  assistance  can  rouse 
his  native  land  to  make  adequate  preparations  for  com- 
mercial training,  he  should  be  eminently  successful. 
He  lays  great  stress  on  the  need  of  giving  the  young 
men  who  are  to  be  the  future  captains  of  industry  a 
suitable  and  practical  education.  Much  depends  on 
the  artisan,  he  once  said,  but  still  more  depends  on  the 
commercial  skill  of  the  man  at  the  wheel.  Clever 
managers  with  up-to-date  methods  and  modern  ideas 
will  be  almost  certain  to  secure  good  paying  orders, 
and  it  is  this  class  of  men  he  desires  to  see  controlling 
England's  industries;  and  then  he  has  little  doubt  she 
will  hold  her  own  against  the  competition  of  the  world. 
In  Mr.  Carnegie's  opinion  England's  national  indus- 
tries are  at  the  present  time  handicapped  greatly 
by  obsolete  machinery.  Their  equipments,  he  says, 
need  not  merely  to  be  altered  but  "revolutionized." 
In  one  of  his  journeys  through  England  he  came  across 
a  tanyard  in  charge  of  which  was  a  workman  of  the 
extreme  rural  type,  who  informed  Mr.  Carnegie  that  his 
old  master  had  just  sold  out.  The  fresh  owner  had 
new-fangled  notions,  and  was  spending  "heaps  o* 
money"  in  building  a  steam-engine,  which  he  invited 
the  visitor  to  inspect.  This  engine  was  expected  to  do 
the  work  much  quicker,  but,  remarked  the  old  work- 
man, "  I've  heard  tell  by  some  as  knows  it's  na  sae  gud 


124  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

for  the  leather."  This  incident,  Mr.  Carnegie  says, 
aptly  illustrates  the  tenacity  with  which  Britishers 
hold  to  what  their  fathers  did  before  them.  Although 
somewhat  exaggerated,  this  conclusion  contains  much 
truth,  and  the  ill-advised  obstinacy  of  the  British 
workman  and  the  short  -  sighted  policy  of  trade 
unionism  is  largely  answerable  for  it.  Mr.  Carnegie 
absolutely  fought  trade  unionism  in  his  own  works, 
when  it  attempted  to  encumber  him  with  restrictions 
and  to  dictate  to  him  how  he  should  manage  his 
business. 

For  the  saner  type  of  trade  unionism,  as  we  have 
seen,  he  has  considerable  sympathy.  The  American 
workman  comes  up  to  his  ideal  as  the  quickest  and 
most  versatile  industrial  hand  in  the  world.  In  sharp 
contrast  to  his  prototype  in  England,  he  is  distinguished 
for  his  habits  of  sobriety  and  thrift,  and  these,  in  Mr. 
Carnegie's  opinion,  largely  accotmt  for  his  superiority. 
England's  drink  bill  per  head  of  the  population  is 
nearly  fifty  per  cent,  higher  than  that  of  the  United 
States,  and  to  this  marked  difference  he  attributes 
their  inferiority  to  the  Yankee  in  business  foresight 
and  industrial  skill. 

But  the  faults  of  the  working  classes  by  no  means 
exonerate  the  masters  from  blame.  It  is,  indeed,  in 
fertility  and  originality  of  ideas  that  Brother  Jonathan 
so  easily  surpasses  England.   They  are  fearfully  slow, 


INTERNATIONAL  COMPETITION         125 

Mr.  Carnegie  says,  in  adopting  new  improvements,  and 
pointing  to  electricity  as  a  concrete  instance,  and 
referring  to  the  achievements  of  Edison,  "the  wizard 
of  science,"  he  mentions  the  significant  fact  that  a 
capital  of  over  $200,000,000  is  invested  in  about 
20,000  miles  of  electric  railways  in  the  United  States. 
England  is  just  awakening  to  the  value  of  this  form  of 
locomotion,  and  so  far  nearly  all  the  great  electrical 
undertakings  in  England  are  worked  by  American 
capital.  But  where  British  manufacturers  are  most 
heavily  handicapped  is  in  their  means  of  transport. 
The  "  miserable  little  trucks  on  your  railways  and  the 
extortionate  charges"  fill  Mr.  Carnegie  with  disgust 
and  amazement.  He  once  said  that  if  all  the  existing 
rolling  stock  in  England  were  destroyed  it  would  be  a 
blessing  to  British  industry  rather  than  a  calamity. 

His  views  on  this  great  question  of  International 
Competition  as  it  affects  British  interests  have  been 
severely  criticized,  but  there  is  no  denying  the  fact 
that  many  of  his  suggestions  and  opinions  contain 
much  sound  common  sense  and  are  of  much  practical 
value.  He  is  a  man  of  conviction,  and  having  satisfied 
himself  upon  the  justness  of  his  cause,  is  not  afraid  to 
express  his  views.  He  is  a  candid  friend  to  his  native 
land,  and  all  who  are  open  to  conviction  will  thank 
him  for  the  genuine  interest  and  thoughtftil  counsel. 
Britain  could  do  with  more  men  of  Mr.  Carnegie's 


126  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

caliber,  who  put  duty  and  conviction  before  fame  and 
applause.  British  manufacturers  can  draw  many- 
valuable  lessons  from  his  industrial  methods  and  his 
views  on  the  question  of  International  Competition. 


His  Gospel  of  Wealth 


CHAPTER  IX 

HIS   GOSPEL   OF   WEALTH 

IT  is  rare  indeed  to  hear  ''the  advantages  of  poverty** 
eulogized  by  a  millionaire.  In  a  world  where 
selfish  interests  are  ever3rwhere  pursued  it  seems  almost 
an  irony  to  ask  any  one  to  believe  that  a  man  with 
unfettered  millions  can  delight  to  sing  its  praises  and  to 
condemn  those  who  hoard  wealth  from  selfish  motives. 
Of  all  the  puzzling  paradoxes  surely  this  is  the  greatest ! 
At  first  sight  it  would  seem  that  the  author  of  such  a 
doctrine  must  be  a  confirmed  miser.  But  Mr.  Carnegie 
is  neither  a  millionaire  miser  nor  a  meddling  moralizer, 
for  if  any  man  practises  what  he  preaches,  that  man 
is  Andrew  Carnegie.  Yet  he  is  not  a  philanthropist. 
He  lays  no  claim  to  such  a  title.  A  philanthropist  he 
defines  as  a  man  who  gives  his  wealth  and  follows  it  up 
by  personal  labor.  Mr.  Carnegie  has  given  vast  sums 
away,  but  he  has  not  carried  out  the  second  stipulation, 
and  therefore  the  honor  of  being  styled  "a  philan- 
thropist" is  not,  he  says,  his  right.  As  it  would  be" 
impossible  for  him  to  concentrate  his  energies  upon  one 
particular  kind  of  work,  owing  to  the  enormous  amoimt 
of  labor  involved  in  the  distribution  of  his  fortune,  he 

129 


I30  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

has  an  excellent  excuse,  and  we  must  forgive  him  for 
his  modest  interpretation  of  the  title.  But  if  he  is 
not  a  philanthropist,  what  is  he?  A  _ trustee  for  the 
Englishes peqkmg_j^^  he  says,   should   be 

held  in  trust  for  the  benefit  of  the  whole  commimity. 
Attached  to  its  ownership  are  great  responsibilities,  and 
if  the  millionaire  fails  to  carry  them  out  it  will  be 
counted  by  future  generations  as  a  gross  neglect  of 
public  duty^^ 

/Mr.  Carnegie's  gospel  has  many  different  aspects, 
but  it  falls  into  two  main  parts:  the  advantages  of 
poverty  and  the  responsibilities  of  surplus  wealth. 
His  views  on  the  distribution  of  wealth  have  always 
excited  a  good  deal  of  interest.  They  are  distinguished 
by  characteristic  thoroughness,  striking  originality, 
lofty  ideals  and  a  large-hearted  spirit;  and  coming 
from  one  who  is  a  millionaire  many  times  over,  it  is  only 
natural  they  should  have  attracted  world-wide  atten- 
tion./ Mr.  Carnegie  during  the  last  fifteen  years  has 
written  several  prominent  articles  on  the  subject  of 
wealth,  and  given  expression  to  his' views  in  a  number 
of  speeches  and  conversations,  y^e  was  asked  some 
years  ago,  "What  are  the  gifts  a  youth,  who  has  the 
ambition  to  make  millions,  should  be  endowed  with  at 
his  birth  ?'  *  The  steel  millionaire  replied :  * '  The  great- 
est of  all  advantages  with  which  he  can  begin  life  is 
that  of  being  poor.     The  man  who  wishes  to  make 


HIS  GOSPEL  OF  WEALTH  131 

millions  should  not  be  born  with  a  silver  spoon  in  his_ 
mouth.      He  must  feel  that  it  is  sink  or  swim  with    j 
him.    ,  He   must  start  his  life  with  no  bladders,   no  / 
life-preservers,  no  support."  This  advice  is  character- 
istic of  its  giver,  and   there  is  no  doubt   as   to   the    ' 
conviction  which  inspired  it.y/  ^ 

fl^hQ  same  may  be  said  of  all  Mr.  Carnegie's  views. 
He  holds  that  there  is  no  better  schoolmaster  than 
adversity,  and  that  the  youth  who  has  witnessed  the 
struggles  of  his  parents  against  poverty's  hardships 
has  had  the  best  of  all  incentives  to  successy  Having 
driven  the  wolf  from  the  door  of  his  own  home,  he  can 
speak  from  actual  experience,  and  though  many  will 
find  themselves  unable  to  follow  Mr.  Carnegie  all  the 
way,  yet  it  cannot  be  denied  that  if  poverty  teaches 
nothing  else  it  impresses  the  virtue  of  thrift,  and  in  some 
cases,  but  not  all,  urges  a  youth  to  make  his  position 
in  the  world  by  industrious  and  honorable  effort. 
When  Mr.  Carnegie  refers  to  the  "poor"  boy  he  does 
not  mean  the  unfortunate  urchins  of  slumland,  who 
are  reared  amid  the  vilest  surroimdings  of  immorality 
and  filth.  To  contend  that  such  conditions  were 
*' advantageous"  would  be  absurd.  To  quote  his  own 
words:  "It  is  not  so  much  to  raise  the  submerged 
tenth,  but  to  help  the  swimming  tenth  to  keep  their 
heads  above  water."  It  is  the  members  of  this  "swim- 
ming tenth" — in  other  words,  the  industrious  poor,  who 


132  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

have  to  struggle  hard  day  by  day  to  earn  an  honest 
living,  and  who  try,  little  by  little,  to  improve  their 
position,  that  Mr.  Carnegie  is  concerned  with. 

In  1 89 1  he  contributed  an  article  on  'The  Advan- 
tages of  Poverty"  to  the  Nineteenth  Century  Review, 
in  which  he  dealt  at  considerable  length  with  the  ques- 
tion of  hereditary  wealth  and  the  influence  of  home 
life  on  the  careers  of  young  men.  Poor  boys  reared 
by  their  parents  have,  he  maintained,  many  advan- 
tages over  those  taught  by  hired  strangers  and  exposed 
to  the  temptations  of  wealth;  and  to  him  it  is  not 
surprising  that  they  become  ''the  leaders  in  every 
branch  of  human  action."  He  pictures  them  as 
athletes  trained  for  the  contest,  with  "sinews  braced, 
indomitable  wills,  resolved  to  do  or  die."  Such  boys, 
he  says,  "always  have  marched  and  always  will  march 
straight  to  the  front  and  lead  the  world ;  they  are  the 
epoch-makers."  The  men  who  have  lifted  and 
advanced  the  race  and  been  supremely  great  in  every 
field  of  human  triumph,  he  argues,  have  not  been  those 
endowed  with  wealth  and  hereditary  rank,  the  posses- 
sion of  which  "is  almost  fatal  to  greatness  and  good- 
ness," but  young  men  who  have  been  nurtured  "in 
the  bracing  school  of  poverty — the  only  school  capable 
of  producing  the  supremely  great,  the  genius." 

Mr.  Carnegie's  glowing  defense  of  poverty's  blessings 
is  open  to  argument;  but  nevertheless  we  cannot  but 


HIS  GOSPEL  OF  WEALTH  133 

admire  his  ardent  enthusiasm  and  strong  convictions. 
Poverty  has  an  altogether  opposite  effect  on  different 
natures,  and  in  some  cases  its  environment  acts  as  a  wet 
blanket  on  youthful  hopes,  and  its  menial  work  tends 
to  bltmt  the  intellect  and  overtax  the  physical  and 
moral  strength.  Mr.  Carnegie's  career  is  a  singular 
exception .  We  cannot  judge  by  one  particular  instance , 
but  apply  the  principles  generally.  With  a  feeling 
of  sincere  pleasure  we  quote  the  following  paragraph 
from  an  article  by  one  who  has  experienced  all  the 
bitterness  of  a  hard  struggle  with  poverty  and,  while 
successful  in  his  fight  for  fortime,  has  retained  intact 
the  simplicity  of  his  soul  amid  all  the  enticements  of 
superfluous  wealth.  "Among  many  advantages  aris- 
ing, not  from  the  transmission  of  hereditary  wealth  and 
position,  but  from  the  transmission  of  hereditary 
poverty  and  health,  there  is  one  which,  to  my  mind, 
outweighs  all  the  others  combined.  It  is  not  permitted 
the  children  of  king,  millionaire  or  noble  to  have  father 
and  mother  in  the  close  and  realizing  sense  of  these 
sacred  terms.  The  name  of  father  and  the  holier  name 
of  mother  are  but  names  to  the  child  of  the  rich  and 
the  noble.  To  the  poor  boy  these  are  the  words  he 
conjures  with,  his  guides,  the  anchors  of  his  soul,  the 
objects  of  his  adoration.  Neither  nurse,  servant,  gover- 
ness nor  tutor  has  come  between  him  and  his  parents. 
In  his  father  he  has  had  tutor,  companion,   counselor 


134  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

/'  and  judge.     It  is  not  given  to  the  bom  millionaire, 
noble  or  prince  to  dwell  upon  such  an  inheritage  as  is 

i^  \  his  who  has  had  in  his  mother,   nurse,   seamstress, 

^4  teacher,  inspirer,  saint — ^his  all  in  all.'* 

Mr.  Carnegie's  whole  article  was  distinguished  by- 
great  force  and  clearness.  It  consisted  chiefly  of  a 
spirited  reply  to  Mr.  Gladstone's  and  the  Rev.  Hugh 
Price  Hughes's  criticisms  upon  his  famous  article 
^'Wealth,"  which  appeared  in  the  North  American 
Review  for  June,  1889.  This  created  a  great  sensation 
at  the  time  of  its  publication,  and  drew  forth  comments 
from  a  number  of  public  men  in  England  and  America, 
prominent  among  whom  were  President  Cleveland, 
Cardinal  Manning,  Rabbi  Adler,  Cardinal  Gibbons 
and  Bishop  Potter.  It  formed  the  topic  of  a  com- 
prehensive discussion  in  the  principal  reviews  and 
newspapers,  and  though  generally  commended,  it 
did  not  escape  trenchant  criticism  from  some 
quarters. 

We  would  have  liked  to  have  quoted  in  full  many- 
striking  passages  from  this  article,  but  must  be  con- 
tent with  some  brief  extracts.  At  the  present  time, 
when  Mr.  Carnegie  is  just  entering  upon  the  gigantic 
task  of  distributing  his  wealth  and  carrying  into 
practice  the  principles  he  then  laid  down,  his  written 
views  on  the  subject  possess  additional  importance.  The 
three  articles  he  has  written  on  the  influence  and  use  of 


HIS  GOSPEL  OF  WEALTH  135 

wealth  will  repay  study  by  those  who  are  interested  in 
the  great  social  questions  of  the  hour. 

The  article  opened  with  a  reference  to  the  changed 
conditions  of  industrial  life  and  the  transference  of 
labor  from  the  home  to  the  factory.  He  ridiculed  the 
suggestion  of  "good  old  times,"  and  strongly  main- 
tained that  every  section  of  society  is  now  living  under 
happier  and  better  conditions.  The  laborer  has  now 
more  comforts  than  the  farmer  had  a  few  generations 
ago,  and  the  farmer  more  than  the  landlord  previously 
enjoyed.  These  changed  conditions  have  caused  a 
division  between  employer  and  employee,  but  this,  he 
holds,  has  not  been  without  its  good  results.  The  law 
of  competition  is  now  the  dominating  influence  in  the 
commercial  world,  and  ''the  survival  of  the  fittest"  the 
recognized  basis  of  individual  action.  He  quoted  the 
maxim,  "If  thou  dost  not  sow,  thou  shalt  not  reap," 
and  gave  a  well-deserved  reproof  to  the  growth  of 
idleness  and  wasteful  luxury.  Socialistic  theories 
which  mean  "revolution,  not  evolution,"  were  severely 
treated.  "There  can  never  be  equality  of  power  or 
pay  in  this  world,"  he  wrote,  "where  individualism  is 
necessary  to  its  progress  and  proper  government." 
/lie  then  went  on  to  state  that  there  are  three  modes 
^  which  surplus  wealth  can  be  distributed.  It  can  be 
left  to  the  family,  or  bequeathed  for  public  purposes, 
or  administered  during  their  lives  by  its  possessors. /^ 


136  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

Under  the  first  and  second  modes  most  of  the  world's 
wealth  has  been  applied.  Both,  in  Mr.  Carnegie's 
opinion,  are  injudicious,  and  especially  the  custom  of 
leaving  wealth  to  the  eldest  son,  which,  he  says,  is  done 
simply  to  gratify  the  family  pride  of  maintaining  titles 
intact.  To  leave  fortunes  to  children  is  *'to  impose  upon 
them  a  burden  and  a  disadvantage."  This  assertion 
bears  the  stamp  of  originality,  but  we  are  afraid  it  will 
not  find  many  disciples  among  modem  millionaires. 
''Beyond  providing  for  the  wife  and  daughters  mod- 
erate sources  of  income,  and  a  very  moderate  allowance 
indeed,  if  any,  for  the  sons,  men  may  well  hesitate,  for 
it  is  no  longer  questionable  that  great  sums  bequeathed 
oftener  work  more  for  injury  than  for  benefit  to  the 
recipient.  Wise  men  will  soon  decide  that  for  the 
best  interests  of  the  members  of  their  own  families 
and  of  the  State  such  bequests  are  an  improper  use  of 
their  means."  Mr.  Carnegie  believes  in  the  millionaire 
giving  his  son  a  good  and  efficient  education,  and,  if  he 
enters  public  life,  according  him  proper  support ;  but 
to  the  idle  spendthrift  he  would  not  give  a  penny, 
idleness  and  waste  he  detests,  and  he  is  never  tired  of 
denouncing  these  abuses  in  rich  and  poor  alike.  Work 
is  the  oxygen  of  a  happy  and  contented  Hfe,  and  without 
it  man  degenerates.  The  indolent  and  listless  habits 
of  the  modem  ''aristocratic"  young  man  form  a  typical 
illustration^ 


HIS  GOSPEL  OF  WEALTH  137 

Mr.  Carnegie  is  strongly  in  favor  of  death  duties. 
First,  because  they  are  a  profitable  source  of  income 
for  the  State;  and,  secondly,  because  men  should  dis- 
pose of  their  surplus  wealth  while  living.  He  thus 
characterizes  the  leaving  of  wealth  for  special  uses: 
"As  to  the  second  mode,  that  of  leaving  wealth  at 
death  for  public  uses,  it  may  be  said  that  this  is  only  a 
means  for  the  disposal  of  wealth,  provided  a  man  is 
content  to  wait  until  he  is  dead  before  he  becomes 
much  good  in  the  world.*' 

He  can  see  no  grace  in  the  gifts  of  a  man  who,  imao.e 
to  take  his  money  with  him,  is  compelled,  by  mere 
force  of  circumstances,  to  make  some  bequests  before 
he  dies.  The  man  who  leaves  his  wealth  at  death 
*' erects  a  monument  to  his  own  folly,"  for  it  is  very 
seldom  his  expressed  desires  are  realized  afterward. 
*'By  taxing  estates  heavily  at  death,  the  State  marks 
its  condemnation  of  the  selfish  millionaire's  tinworthy 
life,," 

/Mx.  Carnegie  holds  that  the  man  of  wealth  should 
personally  superintend  the  distribution  of  his  assets.^ 
To  quote  again  from  the  article :  ^ 

"There  remains,  then,  only  one  mode  of  using  great 
fortunes ;  but  in  this  we  have  the  true  antidote  for  the 
temporary  unequal  distribution  of  wealth,  the  recon- 
ciliation of  the  rich  and  the  poor — a  reign  of  harmony 
another    ideal,    differing,  indeed,  from    that    of    the 


138  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

Commtinist  in  requiring  only  the  further  evolution  of 
existing  conditions,  not  the  total  overthrow  of  our 
civilization.  It  is  founded  upon  the  present  most 
intense  individualism,  and  the  race  is  prepared  to  put 
it  in  practice  by  degrees  whenever  it  pleases.  Under 
its  sway  we  shall  have  an  ideal  State,  in  which  the  sur- 
plus wealth  of  the  few  will  become,  in  the  best  sense, 
the  property  of  the  many,  because  administered  for  the 
common  good;  and  this  wealth,  passing  through  the 
hands  of  the  few,  can  be  made  a  much  more  potent 
force  for  the  elevation  of  our  race  than  if  distributed 
in  small  sums  to  the  people  themselves.  Even  the 
poorest  can  be  made  to  see  this,  and  to  agree  that  great 
sums  gathered  by  some  of  their  fellow  citizens  and 
spent  for  public  purposes,  from  which  the  masses  reap 
the  principal  benefit,  are  more  valuable  to  them  than 
if  scattered  among  themselves  in  trifling  amounts 
through  the  course  of  many  years. 

He  says:  "It  is  well  to  remember  that  it  requires 
the  exercise  of  not  less  ability  than  that  which  acquired 
the  wealth  to  use  it  so  as  to  be  really  beneficial  to  the 
community."  That  is  one  of  the  most  significant 
tenets  of  his  gospel,  and  those  wiseacres  who  take  such 
supreme  delight  in  offering  the  Laird  of  Skibo  advice, 
and  proposing  to  him  schemes,  would  save  themselves 
much  time  and  disappointment  if  they  made  a  note 
of  this  decisive  principle,  and  the  fact  that  Mr.  Carnegie 


HIS   GOSPEL  OF  WEALTH  139 

has  an  unbroken  law  "to  help  only  those  who  help 
themselves." 

/Rich  men,  he  says,  have  cause  to  be  thankful  for  one 
inestimable  boon — "they  have  it  in  their  power,  dur- 
ing their  lives,  to  busy  themselves  in  organizing  bene- 
factions from  which  the  masses  of  their  fellows  will 
derive  lasting  benefit,  and  thus  they  will  dignify  their 
own  lives. '^ 

/X)ne  of  the  most  striking  passages  in  the  article  was 
the  one  which  denounced  indiscriminate  charity.  "  It 
were  better  for  mankind  that  the  millions  of  the  rich 
were  thrown  into  the  sea  than  so  spent  as  to  encourage 
the  slothful,  the  drunken,  the  unworthy .i/Of  every 
thousand  dollars  spent  in  so-called  charity  to-day,  it 
is  probable  that  nine  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  are 
unwisely  spent — so  spent,  indeed,  as  to  produce  the 
very  evils  which  it  hopes  to  mitigate  or  cure."  Busi- 
ness methods  are  indispensable,  he  maintains,  in  the 
task  of  distributing  wealth.  Before  a  gift  is  made  the 
donor  should  institute  inquiries  to  find  out  if  the  object 
is  worthy  of  support.  This  is  a  rule  which,  though  liable 
to  err  on  the  side  of  severity,  has  many  sound  recom- 
mendations, and  is  likely  to  be  mor^  generally  adopted 
in  the  future  by  men  of  wealth.  pJlr.  Carnegie  has  an. 
idea  that  many  well-meant  bequests  greatly  encourage 
idleness,  and  rather  support  those  who  "  neither  toil  nor 
spin,"  he  would  keep  his  millions  under  lock  and  ke^^ 


I40  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

While  approving  of  Mr.  Carnegie's  businesslike 
methods  in  the  distribution  of  his  wealth,  many  think 
he  would  be  well  advised  to  widen  his  horizon  and  take 
a  more  liberal  view  of  the  world's  voluntary  work.  So 
far  his  attention  has  been  confined  to  one  particular 
corner.  That  is  a  very  promising  field,  and  one  of  the 
most  worthy,  there  is  no  doubt,  but  yet  there  are 
^ther  plots  which  have  very  strong  claims,  and  only 
need  developing  to  yield  abundant  harvests.  With 
more  leisure  to  look  around,  he  will  doubtless  discover 
some  of  the  good  qualities  which  distinguish  other  noble 
branches  of  social  work  in  which  self-help  is  the  sus- 
taining force. 

'Mr.  Carnegie  has  laid  down  what  he  considers  to  be 
the  duty  of  the  man  of  wealth.  ' '  First,  to  set  an  example 
of  modest,  unostentatious  living,  shunning  display  and 
extravagances ;  to  provide  moderately  for  the  legitimate 
wants  of  those  dependent  upon  him;  after  doing  so  to 
consider  all  surplus  revenues  which  come  to  him  simply 
as  trust  fimds,  which  he  is  called  upon  to  administer, 
and  strictly  botmd  as  a  matter  of  duty  to  administer, 
in  the  manner  which  in  his  judgment  is  best  calcu- 
lated to  benefit  the  community.  The  man  of  wealth 
thus  becomes  the  mere  agent  and  trustee  for  his  poorer 
brethren,  bringing  to  their  service  his  superior  wisdom, 
experience  and  ability  to  administer,  and  doing  for  them 


better  than  they  would  or  could  do  to  thpmselvesy^ 

C>4rL  Vto./ 


HIS  GOSPEL  OF  WEALTH  141 

This  is  a  high-minded  ideal  scheme  of  excellent 
merits,  and  when  the  world's  millionaires  embrace  it 
one  and  all  we  shall  look  with  greater  faith  to  that 


.Xh 


"One  far  off  divine  event 
To  which  the  whole  nation  moves.' 


'hat  his  gospel  is  sotmd  and  practicable  the  world 
has  already  had  many  convincing  proofs,  not  the  least 
in  scope  and  results  being  Mr.  Carnegie's  own  bene- 
factionsV  He  has  written  a  list  of  commandments, 
specially  suited  for  millionaires,  and  we  trust  his  gospel 
will,  yet  find  many  adherents.  One  thing  is  certain, 
those  who  follow  it  will  write  their  names  indelibly  upon 
their  country's  history,  and  be  venerated  by  succeed- 
ing generations. 

Mr.  Carnegie  has  given  his  gospel  the  best  possible 
christening,  and  there  are  significant  signs  that  he  is 
likely  to  have  many  worthy  followers.  While  millions 
are  a  burden  to  some  men,  and  crush  both  soul  and 
energy,  he  finds  in  them  no  source  of  anxiety.  They 
are  his,  and  yet  they  are  not.  Their  disbursement 
will  give  him  the  greatest  happiness  and  abolish  all 
thoughts  of  anxiety  from  his  mind. 

Mr.  Carnegie  has  taken  a  glimpse  into  the  future, 
when  he  hopes  the  problem  of  rich  and  poor  will  be 
solved.  *'  The  laws  of  accumulation  and  distribution," 
he  says,  *  *  will  be  left  free.  Individualism  will  continue, 
but  the  millionaire  will  be  but  a  trustee  for  the  poor, 


142  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

entrusted  for  a  season  with  a  great  part  of  the  increased 
wealth  of  the  commtinity  and  administering  it  for  that 
community  far  better  than  it  could  or  would  have 
done  for  itself.  A  stage  in  the  development  of  the  race 
will  thus  be  reached,  when  it  will  be  clearly  seen  that 
there  is  no  mode  of  disbursing  surplus  wealth  creditable 
to  thoughtful,  earnest  men  into  whose  hands  it  flows, 
save  by  using  it  year  by  year  for  the  general  good." 

Mr    Carnegie  thinks  this  new  era  in  the  world's 

history  has  already  dawned ;  and  as  the  light  becomes 

more  distinct  he  prophecies  that  the  voice  of  the  people 

will  strongly  condemn  the  man  who  hoards  wealth 

instead  of  wisely  allotting  it  to  better  his  fellow  men. 

Making  handsome  bequests  before  the  last  hour  will 

not  earn  the  full  reward.     Giving  during  life  is,   in 

his  opinion,  the  only  just  and  proper  course. 

^-^  "The  day  is  not  far  distant,"  he  says,  ''when  the 

I      man  who  dies,  leaving  behind  him  millions  of  available 

—  J      wealth,  which  was  free  for  him  to  administer  during 

\       life,  will  pass  away  unwept,  unhonored  and  unstmg, 

/       no  matter  to  what  use  he  leaves  the  dross  which  he  can- 

^-~4iot  take  with  him.     Of  such  as  these  the  public  verdict 

V   \   -will  be:  'The  man  who  dies  thus  rich  dies  disgraced' 

\      Such,  in  my  opinion,  is  the  true  gospel  concerning 

V.      wealth,  obedience  to  which  is  destined  some  day  to 

solve  the  problem  of  rich  and  poor,  and  to  bring  peace 

on  earth  and  goodwill  to  men." 


HIS  GOSPEL  OF  WEALTH  143 

This  noble  ideal,  drawn  so  vividly  and  urged  so 
forcibly  by  the  Pittsburgh  millionaire,  is  what  the  world 
is  waiting  to  see  realized.  Mr.  Carnegie  has  already 
proved  by  practice  that  he  believes  in  his  great  ideal. 
It  is  something  more  than  words  to  him.  He  is  con- 
vinced that  it  can  be  applied,  and  now  that  he  has  cut 
himself  clear  from  all  business  duties,  and  has  at  his 
unrestricted  command  more  than  $250,000,000,  the 
world  may  expect  some  epoch-making  announcements 
during  the  next  few  years. 

In  his  review  of  the  "Gospel  of  Wealth,"  Mr. 
Gladstone  hailed  Mr.  Carnegie  as  a  philanthropist  of 
the  highest  order:  "This  self-made  millionaire  has 
confronted  the  moral  and  social  problem  of  wealth 
more  boldly,  so  far  as  I  know,  than  any  previous 
writer.  His  coiirage  and  frankness,  both  of  them 
superlative,  are  among  the  attendant  virtues  which 
walk  in  the  train  of  munificence  not  less  modest 
and  simple  than  it  is  habitual  and  splendid." 

The  Rev.  Hugh  Price  Hughes,  in  commenting  upon 
Mr.  Camegie*s  "Gospel  of  Wealth,"  asserted  that 
"the  progress  of  millionaires  is  inevitably  accompanied 
by  the  growing  poverty  of  their  fellow-countrymen." 

To  this  line  of  argument  Mr.  Carnegie  made  a  very 
powerful  reply.  "The  progress  and  the  evolution  of 
the  millionaire,"  he  insisted,  "  is  beneficial  to  the  whole 
community.     So  far  from  it  being  a  fact  that  'mil- 


144  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

lionaires  at  one  end  of  the  scale  mean  paupers  at  the 
other/  the  reverse  is  obviously  true.  In  a  country 
where  millionaires  exist  there  is  very  little  excuse  for 
pauperism.  Millionaires  can  only  grow  amid  general 
prosperity,  and  this  is  largely  promoted  by  their  exer- 
tions. Their  profits  accrue  in  periods  when  wages  are 
high,  and  the  higher  the  wages  that  have  to  be  paid 
the  higher  the  revenues  of  the  employer."  The  Rev. 
Mr.  Hughes,  in  his  criticism,  also  said  that  in  a  State 
under  really  Christian  principles  "a  millionaire  would 
be  an  impossibility."  Mr.  Carnegie  neatly  retorted 
that  there  would  also  be  "no  need  for  parsons,"  and 
he  jocularly  added,  *'the  successors  of  Mr.  Hughes 
and  myself,  arm-in-arm,  will  make  a  pretty  pair,  out 
in  search  of  some  light  work  with  heavy  pay." 

In  the  North  American  Review  for  189 1,  Mr.  Carnegie 
wrote  a  second  article  on  his  ''Gospel  of  Wealth."  It 
was  characterized  by  the  same  earnest  spirit  and  busi- 
nesslike suggestions,  and  consisted  in  the  main  of  a 
scheme  by  which  the  millionaire  could,  to  the  advant- 
age of  the  community,  distribute  his  wealth.  He  again 
severely  chastised  the  miser  for  his  sins.  Mr.  Carnegie 
is  thoroughly  well  versed  in  Biblical  quotations,  and 
very  often  when  speaking  or  writing  he  repeats  some 
well-known  passage  of  Scripture,  and  draws  his  similes 
from  the  best  of  all  books,  but  not  always  with  due 
reverence.     "There  will  be  nothing  to  surprise  the 


HIS  GOSPEL  OF  WEALTH  145 

student  of  socialistic  development,"  he  wrote,  **i£ 
society  could  approve  the  text  which  says  that  a  camel 
can  go  through  the  eye  of  a  needle  more  easily  than 
a  rich  man  can  enter  the  kingdom  of  heaven." 

In  the  course  of  the  article  Mr.  Carnegie  dealt  with 
seven  objects  which,  in  his  opinion,  were  worthy  of  the  / 
attention  of  those  possessed  of  wealth,  (i)  To  found 
or  enlarge  a  university;  (2)  The  erection  of  free  libra- 
ries; (3)  Establishment  of  hospitals  or  laboratories; 
(4)  To  present  public  parks;  (5)  to  open  public  halls 
with  organs;  (6)  To  start  swimming  baths;  (7)  To 
build  churches. 

At  a  time  when  all  the  world  is  wondering  how  he 
will  dispose  of  his  surplus  wealth,  his  views  as  to  the 
merits  of  these  channels  of  usefulness  will  be  interest- 
ing: ^ 
To  found  or  enlarge  a  University. 

"  Standing  apart  by  itself  there  is  the  founding  of  a 
university  by  men  enormously  rich.  By  adding  to 
and  extending  those  tmiversities  in  existence  a  wide 
field  remains  for  the  millionaire  as  distinguished  from 
the  Croesus  among  millionaires." 

To  found  Free  Libraries. 

**  The  result  of  my  own  study  of  the  question :  What 
is  the  best  gift  that  can  be  given  to  a  community?  is, 
that  a  free  library  occupies  the  first  place,  provided  that 
the  community  will  accept  and  maintain  it  as  a  public 


146  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

institution,  as  much  a  part  of  the  city  property  as  its 
public  schools,  and  indeed  an  adjunct  to  those.  Closely 
allied  to  the  library,  and,  where  possible,  attached  to  it, 
there  should  be  rooms  for  an  art  gallery  and  museum, 
and  a  hall  for  such  lectures  and  instruction  as  are  pro- 
vided in  the  Cooper  Union." 

To  establish  Hospitals  and  Laboratories. 
"We  have  another  most  important  department  in 
extension  of  hospitals,  medical  colleges,  laboratories, 
and  other  institutions  connected  with  the  alleviation 
of  human  suffering,  and  especially  with  the  prevention 
rather  than  the  cure  of  human  ills.  The  forms  that 
benefactions  to  these  may  take  are  numerous,  but 
probably  none  is  more  useful  than  that  of  building 
schools  for  the  training  of  female  nurses." 

To  present  Public  Parks. 

"  In  the  very  front  rank  of  benefactions  public  parks 
should  be  placed,  always  provided  that  the  community 
undertakes  to  maintain,  beautify  and  preserve  invio- 
late the  parks  given  to  it." 

To  open  Public  Halls  with  Organs. 

"We  have  another  good  use  for  surplus  wealth  in 
providing  for  our  cities  halls  suitable  for  meetings  of  all 
kinds,  especially  for  concerts  of  elevating  music.  Our 
cities  are  rarely  provided  with  halls  for  these  purposes. 
The  gift  of  a  hall  to  any  city  lacking  one  is  an  excellent 


HIS  GOSPEL  OF  WEALTH  147 

use  of  surplus  wealth  for  the  good  of  a  community, 
provided  the  city  agrees  to  maintain  and  use  it." 
To  erect  Swimming  Baths. 

"  In  another  respect  we  are  still  much  behind  Europe, 
A  form  of  beneficence  which  is  not  uncommon  there 
is  providing  swimming  baths  for  the  people." 
To  build  Churches. 

"  Churches  as  fields  for  surplus  wealth  have  purposely 
been  reserved  until  the  last,  because,  these  being  sec- 
tarian, every  man  will  be  governed  by  his  own  attach- 
ments ;  therefore  it  may  be  said  gifts  to  churches  are  not 
in  one  sense  gifts  to  the  community  at  large,  but  to 
special  classes.  The  millionaire  should  not  figure  how 
cheaply  this  structure  can  be  built,  but  how  perfect  it 
can  be  made.  But,  having  given  the  building,  the  donor 
should  stop  there ;  the  support  of  the  church  should  be 
upon  its  own  people.  There  is  not  much  genuine 
religion  in  the  congregation  or  much  good  to  flow  from 
the  church  which  is  not  supported  at  home." 

With  this  last  statement  there  will  be  a  general 
agreement.  A  religion  bereft  of  self-sacrificing  charity 
is  not  worthy  of  the  name.  Mr.  Carnegie  has  given 
liberally  to  many  of  the  objects  specified  in  this  article, 
including  the  presentation  of  some  hundreds  of  organs 
to  places  of  worship  and  public  halls ;  but  he  has  yet 
to  build  his  first  church.  The  main  reasons  for  his 
abstinence  from  this  branch  of  philanthropy  are  the 


148  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

narrowness  and  sectarianism  which  distinguishes  the 
church  of  the  present  day.  A  united  church,  with  one 
plain  form  of  religion,  would  probably  find  in  Mr. 
Carnegie  a  generous  supporter ;  but  while  there  are  so 
many  sects,  so  many  divisions,  so  many  conflicting 
creeds,  it  is  impossible  for  one  of  a  very  broad  mind 
and  national  sympathies  to  give  his  money  to  one  par- 
ticular branch  of  religion.  So  he  holds  himself  aloof, 
leaving  the  work  to  those  who  have  more  faith  in  their 
self -chosen  mode  of  worship. 

It  is  a  matter  of  general  surprise  that  Mr.  Carnegie 
has  not  helped  any  branch  of  church  work,  and  there 
have  been  many  hasty  judgments  passed  upon  his 
attitude  by  good  people,  who  have  written  him  long 
letters  asking  for  support  toward  "their  forthcoming 
bazaar  or  church  extension  scheme,"  but  to  their 
disappointment  and  vexation  no  notice  has  been  taken 
of  their  carefully  posted  epistles.  A  little  thought  and 
study  of  the  man  and  his  views  would  have  convinced 
the  good-hearted  letter-writer  that  to  build  hopes  of 
receiving  either  help  or  a  reply  would  be  entirely  delu- 
sive. Nothing  can  be  lost  by  asking.  It  is  well  to 
cultivate  faith  and  hope,  but  also  most  unwise  to  live 
tmder  the  delusion  that  every  rich  man  appealed  to 
would  send  his  cheque  by  return  of  post.  It  may  be 
very  impolite  of  Mr.  Carnegie  not  even  to  reply,  but  has 
not  the  bombarded  millionaire  some  excuse  when  it  is 


HIS  GOSPEL  OF  WEALTH  149 

remembered  he  is  the  recipient  of  some  five  himdred 
letters — some  very  bulky  and  formidable — every  day. 
They  flow  from  all  comers  of  the  globe  into  one  silent 
grave— the  waste-paper  basket.  Not  one  in  a  thousand 
reaches  Mr.  Carnegie's  hands.  They  are  sifted  by  keen, 
watchful  eyes,  and  the  majority  meet  with  the  same 
cruel  fate.  It  is  certainly  good  for  the  paper  trade, 
but  troublesome  for  the  secretaries,  and  mercilessly 
destructive  to  the  fond  hopes  of  the  senders. 

Mr.  Carnegie  concluded  his  article  on  "The  Best    | 
Fields  for  Philanthropy"  with  the  following  impressive  Ik/ 
declaration:    "The    Gospel    of    Wealth    but    echoes/^ 
Christ's  words;  it  calls  upon  the  ^millionaire  to  sell  all 
he  hath  and  give  the  highest  and  best  to  the  poor,  by\ 
administering  his  estate  for  his  fellow  men  before  he  is  \ 
called  to  lie  down  and  rest  upon  the  bosom  of  mother       / 
earth.     So  doing  he  will  approach  his  end  no  longer  the     / 
ignoble  hoarder  of  useless  millions;  poor,  very  poor 
indeed  in  money,  but  rich,  very  rich  in  the  affection, 
gratitude    and    admiration    of   his    fellow   men,    and 
sweeter  far,  soothed  and  sustained  by  the  still  sweet   1 
voice  within,  which  whispering  tells  him  that  because   \ 
he  has  lived  perhaps  one  small  portion  of  the  great    \ 
world  has  been  bettered  just  a  little.     This  much  is     1 
sure,  against  such  riches  as  these  no  bar  will  be  found  / 
at  the  gates  of  Paradise."  '"^"^ 

Mr.  Carnegie  has  put  before  himself  a  noble  and  lofty 


I50  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

ideal. ^^lis  "Gospel  of  Wealth"  found  general  accept- 
ance. The  world  was  amazed  at  its  generous  and  liberal- 
hearted  suggestions,  and  the  spirit  of  unselfishness  and 
practical  charity  which  characterized  it  throughout.  It 
was  in  many  respects  a  imique  manifesto,  ably  con- 
ceived, wisely  arranged  and  strongly  democratic  in  tone, 
and  must  be  regarded  as  a  valuable  contribution  to  social 
science/Mr.  Gladstone  gave  it  his  cordial  approval  and 
support,  and  a  number  of  pubHc  men  of  all  shades  of 
thought  were  imanimous  in  their  eulogy  of  its  high  tone 
and  practical  utility.  The  Pittsburgh  millionaire  leaped 
with  one  bound  into  the  world's  public  arena  and 
became  one  of  the  foremost  and  most  discussed  men  on 
this  side  of  the  Atlantic  and  in  America./'  It  was  one 
millionaire  laying  down  the  law  for  his  brethren,  a  law 
which  did  not  quite  suit  some  tastes  and  inclinations. 
It  was  a  bold  attack  upon  miserly  habits,  selfish  greed, 
and,  of  course,  aroused  some  personal  opposition  and 
bitter  criticism,  but  it  was  not  without  its  good  effect, 
and  many  wealthy  men  realized  for  the  first  ,time  the 
great  responsibihties  attached  to  their  riches. 

Mr.  Carnegie  has  not  only  theoretically  discussed 
his  "Gospel  of  Wealth";  he  has  emphasized  its  utility 
by  putting  its  principles  into  practice,  and  in  this 
respect  the  future  promises  to  be  even  richer  in  results 
than  the  past.  This  leads  us  to  a  consideration  of  his 
numierous  gifts  and  benefactions. 


His  Benefactions 


CHAPTER    X 

HIS  BENEFACTIONS 

GIVING  is  at  once  the  easiest  and  most  difficult  of 
arts.  It  is  an  art,  because  before  proficiency  can 
be  attained  much  experience  is  necessary,  and  the  judg- 
ment needs  to  have  imdergone  a  strict  course  of  training. 
Liberality  requires  cultivation  and  care,  like  every  other 
quality,  and  this  more  particularly  applies  to  the  man 
entrusted  with  millions  of  available  wealth.  It  is 
somewhat  of  a  paradox  to  find  that  wealth  which  has 
been  amassed  by  conspicuous  ability  and  hard  toil  is 
often  distributed  without  discretion. 

This  cannot  be  said  of  Mr.  Andrew  Carnegie.  He 
has  acquired  his  wealth  by  the  power  of  his  brains,  but 
he  has  not  squandered  his  earnings  by  indiscriminate 
charity.  There  may  be  some  dissent  with  his  methods, 
but  general  approval  will  be  given  to  the  munificent 
gifts  he  has  made  and  the  schemes  he  has  financially 
launched.  /His  aim  has  been  to  help  the  masses,  and 
to  encourage  those  who  are  striving  by  personal  effort 
to  cultivate  their  intellects  and  to  improve  their 
positions  in  the  world.  Self-help  has  been  the  motive 
power  which  has  influenced  most  of  his  benefactions, 

153 


154  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

and  in  this  respect  he  has  offered  many  splendid  induce- 
ments to  yoimg  men  to  climb  the  ladder  of  success  by 
the  rungs  of  education^ 

Up  to  June,  1902,  Mr.  Carnegie's  benefactions 
amounted  to  nearly  $100,000,000.  This  huge  total 
is  probably  the  largest  aggregate  of  money  given  away 
by  one  man.  It  is  really  impossible  accurately  to 
estimate  what  the  Pittsburgh  millionaire  has  distributed 
in  gifts  during  the  past  thirty  years,  but  any  estimate 
is  likely  to  be  under  rather  than  above  the  mark. 

Before  he  sailed  for  England  in  1901  he  left  four 
letters  announcing  gifts  amounting  to  $9,000,000. 
This  munificent  sum  was  made  up  of  $4,000,000  to  pro- 
vide a  pension  fund  for  the  workmen  of  the  Carnegie 
Steel  Company,  $1,000,000  for  the  support  of  the  libra- 
ries established  for  workmen  at  his  works,  $5,200,000 
for  the  erection  of  sixty-five  branch  libraries  in  New 
York,  and  $1,000,000  to  the  city  of  St.  Louis,  Missouri, 
for  a  similar  object.  Although  these  four  letters  bore 
the  same  date,  March  12,  this  does  not  signify  that 
these  magnificent  gifts  were  hastily  decided  upon. 
The  facts  are  just  the  reverse.  These  endowments 
were  the  result  of  careful  inquiry,  and  had  been  under 
Mr.  Carnegie's  consideration  for  some  time.  Mr. 
Carnegie  thinks  before  he  gives,  and  often  consults 
with  intimate  friends  before  he  finally  decides. 

At  the  time  of  his  departure  from  New  York  he  said : 


HIS   BENEFACTIONS  155 

"I  have  just  begun  to  give  away  money,"  and  based 
upon  that  assertion  the  future  should  reveal  unparal- 
leled gifts  to  an  expectant  world.  One  possessed  of 
his  great  fortune  has  unlimited  opporttmities  at  his 
command  and  immeasurable  responsibilities  placed 
upon  him.  His  position  is  unique,  and  without  parallel 
in  modem  history.  The  world  lies  at  his  feet  awaiting  his 
endpwments  and  wondering  how  he  will  fulfil  his  gospel, 
y/rhe  greater  portion  of  the  money  Mr.  Carnegie  has 
given  away  so  far  has  been  for  the  erection  of  free 
libraries.  This  is  the  steel  millionaire's  favorite 
sphere.  He  firmly  believes  it  contains  the  most  prolific 
soil,  and  only  needs  developing  to  play  an  important 
part  in  the  world's  educational  progress^^r 

Speaking  of  circulating  libraries  he  once  said:  **In 
all  my  experience  I  have  never  known  so  little  produce 
such  great,  and  as  I  believe,  real  beneficial  and  enduring 
results.  I  cannot  but  think  it  only  needs  to  be  known 
that  the  opportunity  to  do  so  much  good  is  within  the 
reach  of  wealthy  men  for  so  small  a  pittance  from  their 
store."  His  robust  faith  in  the  far-reaching  results 
of  well-equipped  libraries  is,  like  other  strong  convic- 
tions, the  heritage  of  his  boyhood.  He  has  culled  a 
leaf  from  his  own  life  and  applied  it  to  the  needs  of  the 
struggling  poor  and  the  respectable  artisan,  and  it  is 
from  this  source  that  his  liberality  in  founding  free 
libraries  and  public  rooms  has  sprung. 


156  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

When  a  boy  in  Pittsburgh,  striving  with  all  his 
might  to  improve  his  prospects,  he  was  permitted  with 
some  other  youths  to  borrow  books  from  the  library  of  a 
gentleman  named  Colonel  Anderson.  Every  Saturday 
afternoon  the  good-hearted  Colonel  was  in  attendance 
at  his  house  to  lend  any  of  his  four  himdred  books. 
Young  Carnegie  eagerly  looked  forward  to  those 
Saturday  afternoons.  They  were  the  simny  days  of 
his  youth,  and  the  great  joy  they  gave  him  has  never 
faded  from  his  memory.  The  opportunity  of  reading 
another  book  made  the  week  swing  along  more 
smoothly.  This  privilege  was  shared  by  his  brother 
Tom  and  his  future  partner,  Mr.  Phipps.  The  young 
telegraph  messenger  resolved  in  his  buoyant  enthusi- 
asm that  if  ever  wealth  fell  to  his  lot  he  would  use  it  to 
establish  free  libraries,  so  that  poor  boys  might  have 
opportunities  of  reading  the  best  books.  His  two 
companions  little  thought  that  Andrew's  resolve  would 
one  day  be  realized,  and  that  he  would  earn  for  himself 
a  name  as  the  greatest  friend  free  libraries  have  ever 
had  since  their  birth.  Mr.  Carnegie  holds  the  memory 
of  Colonel  Anderson's  kindly  act  in  the  deepest  rever- 
ence, and  it  is  as  his  disciple  he  has  entered  upon  his 
labor  of  love  in  presenting  libraries  to  those  towns 
that  will  undertake  efficiently  to  maintain  them. 
There  is  an  element  of  romance  in  this  striking  episode 
which  gives  to  the  task  he  has  set  himself  an  additional 


HIS  BENEFACTIONS  157 

charm.  It  is  a  magnificent  testimony  to  the  far- 
reaching  value  of  a  thoughtful  action,  and  teaches  a 
significant  lesson,  especially  to  those  who  have  it 
within  their  power  to  help  boys  to  rise  to  positions  of 
usej^ulness. 

/Mr.  Carnegie  has  made  grants  for  the  erection  of 
more  than  375  libraries  in  the  United  States  alone/ 
and  the  following  among  a  large  number  of  American 
towns  have  benefited  by  his  generosity:  New  York, 
$5,200,000;  Pittsburgh,  $9,500,000  for  Institute 
and  Technical  School;  St.  Louis,  $1,000,000;  Alle- 
ghany, $275,000;  Braddock,  $500,000;  Washington, 
$10,350,000,  including  the  Carnegie  Institution; 
Johnstown,  $50,000;  Fairfield,  $40,000;  San  Fran- 
cisco, $750,000  ;  Louisville,  $250,000  ;  Detroit, 
$750,000.  The  list  of  these  gifts  has  now  reached 
a  magnificent  total. 

He  has  been  nearly  as  liberal  to  the  people  of  his 
native  land,  and  has  presented  or  aided  free  libraries 
in  Edinburgh,  Dunfermline,  Aberdeen,  Peterhead, 
Inverness,  Ayr,  Elgin,  Wick  and  Kirkwall,  and  has 
contributed  to  the  establishment  of  many  public  halls 
and  reading-rooms  in  various  other  towns. 

As  an  acknowledgment  of  his  patriotic  support  he 
has  been  presented  with  the  freedom  of  eleven  towns 
of  his  native  land,  including  the  capital,  a  record  of 
which  he  is  justly  proud.    He  greatly  prizes  these 


158  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

honors  and  the  cordial  welcome  extended  to  him  by 
his  own  countrymen. 

This  does  not,  however,  complete  the  list  of  his  gifts 
to  Scottish  libraries.  He  signalized  his  return  to  his 
native  land  in  May,  1901,  by  making  a  handsome  offer 
to  the  Corporation  of  Glasgow.  The  Lord  Provost, 
who  presided  at  a  meeting  of  the  city  council  on  May 
1 6th,  announced  that  the  following  letter  had  been 
placed  in  his  hands  the  previous  day : 

"My  Dear  Lord  Provost  : — It  will  give  me  pleasure 
to  provide  the  needed  ;£i 00,000  for  Branch  Libraries, 
which  are  sure  to  prove  of  great  advantage  to  the 
masses  of  the  people.  It  is  just  fifty  years  since 
my  parents  with  their  little  boys  sailed  from 
Broomielaw  for  New  York  in  the  barque  Wiscassett, 
900  tons,  and  it  is  delightful  to  be  permitted 
to  commemorate  the  event  upon  my  visit  to  you. 
Glasgow  has  done  so  much  in  municipal  affairs  to 
educate  other  cities,  and  to  help  herself,  that  it  is  a 
privilege  to  help  her.  Let  Glasgow  flourish !  So  say 
all  of  us  Scotsmen  throughout  the  world.  Always 
yours,  Andrew  Carnegie." 

Before  we  pass  on  to  refer  to  his  other  benefactions, 
a  description  of  the  magnificent  library  he  gave  to 
Pittsburgh,  the  city  of  his  commercial  triumph,  and 


HIS   BENEFACTIONS  159 

those  he  presented  to  Allegheny  and  Braddock,  will 
not  be  out  of  place;  it  will  at  least  show  how  thor- 
oughly Mr.  Carnegie  carries  out  his  free  library 
schemes,  and  the  efficient  manner  in  which  he  launches 
these  educational  instruments  upon  their  careers. 

The  first  library  he  endowed  was  the  one  at 
Braddock,  a  town  of  about  20,000  inhabitants,  who  are 
most  of  them  employed  at  the  Carnegie  Steel  Works. 
The  library  gradually  outgrew  its  accommodation,  and 
the  formation  of  a  Carnegie  Club  necessitated  a  large 
addition  to  the  buildings.  A  new  hall  to  seat  1,100 
people  was  built,  and  a  large  gymnasium  with  a  swim- 
ming bath  was  added.  In  addition  to  these  a  billiard- 
room  was  opened  for  the  use  of  club  members.  The 
club  proved  a  great  success,  the  members  paying  an 
annual  subscription  of  six  shillings. 

Soon  afterward  he  offered  to  present  to  the  neigh- 
boring town  of  Alleghany,  at  a  cost  of  $375,000,  a 
library  with  shelving  accommodation  for  70,000  vol- 
umes, a  concert  hall  with  a  $10,000  organ,  a  lecture 
room,  and  an  art  gallery,  providing  the  corporation 
found  the  site  and  the  $15,000  per  annum  necessary 
to  maintain  it.  The  offer  was  accepted,  and  the 
buildings  were  formally  opened  by  President  Harrison 
on  February  13,  1890.  Four  years  after  it  had  been 
opened  the  number  of  books  in  circulation  was 
returned  at  125,000  volumes,  and  it  was* estimated  that 


i6o  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

160,000  periodicals  had  been  in  use  throughout  the 
year.  The  government  of  the  library  is  invested  in  a 
committee  elected  by  the  City  Council. 

The  largest  block  of  buildings  Mr.  Carnegie  has 
erected  is  the  vast  fabric  at  Pittsburgh  known  as  the 
Carnegie  Institute.  The  name  of  Carnegie  is  indelibly 
associated  with  the  great  steel  centre.  He  offered 
to  provide  $1,100,000  for  free  library  buildings, 
on  condition  that  the  City  Council  agreed  to  spend 
annually  on  its  maintenance  and  equipment  $40,000, 
and  that  the  management  of  the  institution  should  be 
invested  in  a  commtitee,  half  the  members  of  which 
were  to  be  nominated  by  himself,  the  other  half  by  the 
Council.  The  offer  at  first  was  not  accepted,  but  as  the 
result  of  a  popular  agitation  the  sleepy  Council  were 
aroused  to  a  sense  of  their  duty,  and  after  some  manceu- 
vering,  during  which  Mr.  Carnegie's  playful  humor 
was  highly  successful,  he  agreed  to  renew  his  offer. 

The  institute,  which  was  opened  in  November,  1895, 
is  a  magnificent  structiure  of  gray  sandstone  in  the 
Italian  renaissance  style  of  architecture.  On  the  ground 
floor  a  spacious  entrance  hall  leads  to  the  circulating 
library  and  reading-rooms.  On  the  second  floor  are 
located  the  main  reference  library  and  the  stack-room 
with  a  capacity  of  1 50,000  volumes.  One  portion  of  the 
building  comprises  a  music  hall,  capable  of  seating 
2, ICO  persons,  and  a  stage  for  sixty  musicians  and  a 


HIS  BENEFACTIONS  i6i 

chorus  of  two  hundred.  It  is  enriched  by  a  splendid 
pipe  organ,  on  which  every  week  a  free  organ  recital 
is  given.  Mr.  Carnegie  borrowed  the  idea  of  giving 
free  organ  recitals  from  Birmingham,  where  for  the 
first  time  he  heard  the  city  organist  give  a  public  recital. 
Another  section  of  this  vast  block  of  imposing  architec- 
ture is  set  aside  as  an  art  gallery  and  museum,  and  one 
wing  of  it  supplies  a  spacious  lecture  hall  and  rooms  for 
debating  and  scientific  societies.  In  the  basement  are 
a  number  of  classrooms,  where  instruction  is  given  in 
various  kinds  of  technical  work.  The  building  is 
illuminated  throughout  by  electricity,  and  is  fitted  up 
with  the  most  modern  ventilating  and  heating  appa- 
ratus. Connected  with  this  library  are  seven  distribu- 
ting stations  in  the  outlying  districts.  The  institute 
has  been  used  to  a  remarkable  extent  by  the  workmen 
in  the  iron  and  steel  works  for  improving  their  knowl- 
edge and  gaining  technical  information  about  their 
work.  Special  literature  on  engineering,  natural  philos- 
ophy and  the  useful  arts  is  widely  read.  Two  million 
dollars  has  also  been  given  to  establish  a  Polytechnic 
School  in  Pittsburgh.  These  magnificent  gifts  speak 
louder  than  words  of  Mr.  Carnegie's  interest  in  and 
affection  for  the  city  wherein  his  success  was  won. 
There  are  many  evidences  that  these  great  gifts  of  Mr. 
Carnegie  have  proved  an  immense  influence  for  good 
on  the  life  of  the  city. 


i62  ANDREW   CARNEGIE 

■  Next  to  his  adopted  country  his  native  land  has  been 
the  largest  recipient  of  his  generosity.  Dunfermline, 
his  birthplace,  may  almost  be  regarded  as  an  endowed 
city.  To  Mr.  Carnegie  it  owes  its  swimming  baths, 
library  and  technical  school — a  building  which  was 
opened  in  October,  1899,  and  is  a  most  practical  seat  of 
learning.  It  has  fine  spacious  workshops,  fitted  with 
modem  tools  for  instruction  in  wood- work,  metal- work, 
mechanical  engineering  and  mining,  and  also  a  physical 
laboratory.  Special  attention  is  given  to  local  indus- 
tries in  the  weaving  department,  which  is  equipped  with 
two  power  looms  and  six  hand  looms. 

-  England  has  so  far  participated  but  little  in  his 
lavish  endowments.  He,  however,  made  an  open  offer 
to  English-speaking  towns  in  May,  1902.  When  he 
received  the  freedom  of  the  city  from  the  Guild  of 
Plumbers  in  London,  he  stated  in  a  speech  that  he  stood 
ready  to  contribute  toward  the  erection  of  a  free 
library,  provided  the  local  authorities  would  spend 
not  less  than  ten  per  cent,  of  his  gift  a  year  on  its  main- 
tenance. This  offer  has  already  been  taken  advantage 
of  in  several  instances,  and  as  it  becomes  more  widely 
known  no  doubt  there  will  be  an  increasing  number 
of  applications.  This  was  not  done  on  the  spur  of  the 
moment,  but  after  deliberate  study,  and  we  may  be 
sure  he  meant  what  he  said. 

While  the  majority  of  Mr.  Carnegie's  larger  gifts 


-  "■ 

!    "*■ 

» <  ■-'  -"^ 

^^- 

■',:*>  V 
A^- 

HIS   BENEFACTIONS  163 

have  thus  been  made  to  his  adopted  country  and  to  his 
native  land,  there  is  one  conspicuous  exception — his 
donation  of  $250,000  to  the  endowment  fund  of  the 
New  Birmingham  University.  This  handsome  recog- 
nition of  Birmingham's  effort  to  estabHsh  in  her  midst 
a  modem  university,  where  her  sons  can  receive  an 
educational  equipment  to  enable  them  to  vie  success- 
fully with  foreign  competitors,  was  made  through  the 
Chancellor  of  the  University,  the  Right  Hon.  Joseph 
Chamberlain,  M.  P.,  who,  in  communicating  the  offer 
to  the  Lord  Mayor,  wrote:  "I  feel  convinced  that  this 
munificent  offer  of  Mr.  Andrew  Carnegie  wiU  be  grate- 
fully accepted  by  the  promoters  of  the  new  university, 
and  will  be  thoroughly  appreciated  by  the  people  of 
Birmingham."  Mr.  Carnegie's  tmexpected  assistance 
was  heartily  welcomed  by  the  inhabitants  of  the 
Midland  metropolis,  whose  feelings  of  deep  gratitude 
were  admirably  reflected  in  the  leading  columns  of  the 
two  principal  morning  papers,  the  Daily  Post  and  the 
Daily  Gazette.  It  not  only  gave  a  fresh  impetus  to  the 
scheme,  but  aroused  widespread  interest  throughout 
the  country.  His  letter,  which  we  have  already  pro- 
duced, was  made  the  theme  of  mmierous  articles  in  the 
daily  press,  and  stirred  up  hopes  that  the  gift  was  to 
be  the  forerunner  of  others  of  a  similar  nature.  Mr. 
Carnegie's  generosity  is  always  preceded  by  careful 
consideration,  and  there  is  no  reason  to  doubt  that  he 


i64  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

will  repeat  his  offer  to  any  other  English  city  desirous 
of  f otinding  a  modem  university  with  a  faculty  of  com- 
merce as  one  of  its  distinguishing  features. 

Mr.  Carnegie's  mtmificent  help  put  the  Birmingham 
University  scheme  on  the  highroad  to  success.  It 
drew  attention  to  the  need  of  such  a  seat  of  learning 
in  a  district  where  nearly  the  whole  of  the  inhabitants 
are  dependent  upon  manufactures  and  industrial  pur- 
suits, and  also  led  to  a  movement  being  set  on  foot 
for  the  support  of  the  scheme  by  employers  of  labor. 
To-day  the  Birmingham  University  is  a  reality,  having 
received  its  charter  and  conferred  its  first  degrees. 
Its  endowment  fund  has  reached  the  splendid  total  of 
$2,000,000,  a  result  largely  due  to  the  strenuous  efforts 
and  personal  influence  of  Mr.  Joseph  Chamberlain. 
As  Mr.  Carnegie  views  the  progress  this  Midland 
university  is  making,  and  the  sphere  of  usefulness 
it  is  aspiring  to  attain  as  a  commercial  power,  he 
must  feel  thankful  that  he  extended  to  it  a  helping 
hand.  It  promises  to  be  one  of  his  most  fruitful  gifts, 
and  the  future  is  sure  to  justify  the  wisdom  of  his 
decision  and  the  thoughtful  suggestions  contained  in 
his  letter. 

A  noticeable  feature  of  Mr.  Carnegie's  benefactions 
is,  as  already  stated,  the  small  amount  he  has  given 
to  strictly  religious  work.  In  his  "  Gospel  of  Wealth" 
he  gave  his  reasons  for  this  decision.     He  has  no 


HIS   BENEFACTIONS  165 

atheistic  prejudice  against  Christian  work,  but  he 
believes  that  those  who  hold  a  particular  creed  should 
render  it  pecuniary  as  well  as  moral  assistance.  The 
millionaire  who  appoints  himself  a  trustee  for  the 
English-speaking  race  cannot,  in  justice  to  his  posi- 
tion, favor  one  special  denomination,  as  his  boimden 
duty  is  to  distribute  his  wealth  so  that  all  may  derive 
some  benefit.  His  aims  must  be  cosmopolitan,  and 
the  channels  through  which  his  benefactions  flow  wide 
enough  for  the  whole  race  to  participate  in.  Such  is  Mr. 
Carnegie's  conviction,  and  although  many  people  may 
think  that  he  is  thus  cutting  himself  off  from  a  f niitful 
sphere,  and  that  his  attitude  is  too  rigid,  it  does  not 
seem  probable  that  he  will  depart  from  his  line  of 
action.  Although  Mr.  Carnegie  has  not  given  directly 
to  the  maintenance  of  religious  work,  he  has  presented 
churches  with  a  great  many  organs.  He  is  passionately 
fond  of  music,  and,  like  many  others,  he  can  derive 
greater  benefit  from  its  fascinating  and  soul-stirring 
eloquence  than  from  listening  to  scores  of  sermons. 
He  once  said  he  would  hold  himself  responsible  for 
what  the  organ  pealed  forth  on  the  Sabbath,  but  not 
for  what  issued  from  the  pulpit.  It  is  this  inherent 
love  of  music,  and  faith  in  its  boundless  power,  which 
has  induced  him  to  subscribe  toward  the  cost  of  church 
organs.  The  founding  of  a  National  School  of  Music 
has  engaged  his  attention  upon  more  than  one  occasion. 


1 66  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

In  1 89 1  he  erected  at  a  cost  of  $2,000,000  a  mag- 
nificent concert  hall  in  New  York  for  the  use  of  the 
general  public.  This  hall,  which  is  situated  in  Fifty- 
seventh  Street,  will  seat  3,000  persons.  It  is  arranged 
on  modern  lines,  and  illimiinated  by  4,000  electric 
lights.  It  is  one  of  the  finest  concert  halls  in  the  United 
States,  and  has  been  greatly  appreciated  by  the  public 
since  it  was  opened.  The  donor  of  this  magnificent 
hall  enjoys  holding  the  office  of  President  of  the  New 
York  Philharmonic  Society,  which  has  its  offices  in  the 
great  building. 

We  have  already  mentioned  Mr.  Carnegie's  hand- 
some endowment  of  $4,000,000  as  a  pension  fund  for 
the  work-people  of  the  Carnegie  Steel  Company.  The 
object  of  this  fund  is  to  provide  small  pensions  or  aids 
to  such  employees  as,  after  long  and  creditable  service, 
through  exceptional  circumstances  need  such  help  in 
their  old  age,  and  who  make  a  good  use  of  it.  It  is 
intended  to  give  aid  to  the  injured,  or  to  their  families, 
or  to  employees  who  are  needy  in  old  age  through  no 
fault  of  their  own,  and  to  secure  Some  provision  against 
want  as  long  as  there  is  need,  or  until  young  children 
can  become  self-supporting.  In  his  letter  announcing 
the  gift  he  said:  "I  make  this  first  use  of  surplus  wealth 
upon  retiring  from  business  as  an  acknowledgment  of 
the  deep  debt  which  I  owe  to  the  workmen  who  have 
contributed  so  greatly  to  my  success."     Mr.  Carnegie 


HIS  BENEFACTIONS  167 

has  set  a  splendid  example,  and  one  that  is  worthy  of 
more  general  adoption  by  employers  of  labor  in  this 
country  and  in  England. 

And  now  we  turn  to  review  Mr.  Carnegie's  princely 
gift  of  two  millions  to  Scottish  University  education. 
No  man  has  a  more  ardent  love  for  his  native  coimtry 
than  Andrew  Carnegie  has  for  Scotia's  "Isle.**  Like 
every  Scotchman,  he  has  his  own  high  estimate  of  the 
national  virtues.  The  greatest  compliment  he  could 
pay  the  American  was  to  describe  him  as  a  "  Scotchman 
with  his  coat  off  and  his  sleeves  rolled  up."  Scotch- 
men, he  firmly  believes,  are  capable  of  doing  anything 
human  power  can  accomplish.  Whether  he  considers 
them  the  superior  of  the  American,  which  is  perhaps 
an  impossibility,  or  puts  them  both  on  the  same  level, 
is  a  doubtful  point.  Anyhow,  he  is  never  tired  of 
singing  their  praises,  and  he  has  said  that  he  is  more 
thankful  for  being  a  Scotchman  than  for  any  other 
circumstance.  In  his  opinion,  no  nation  has  more  to 
be  proud  of  than  that  which  has  for  its  heroes  such  men 
as  Wallace,  Bruce  and  Bums.  It  is  not  surprising, 
therefore,  that  he  should  honor  Scotland  with  a  great 
act  of  munificence.  His  patriotic  benefaction  was 
decided  upon  after  careful  deliberation  and  consulta- 
tion with  the  principal  educationalists  in  Scotland. 
The  source  from  which  Mr.  Carnegie  drew  his  inspiration 
was  an  article  which  appeared  some  years  ago  in  the 


i68  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

Nineteenth  Century  Review,  advocating  free  university 
education.  The  writer,  Mr.  Thomas  Shaw,  M.  P.,  is 
also  a  native  of  Dunfermline,  and  has  also  made  his 
own  way  in  the  world.  The  son  of  a  baker,  he  rose  by 
sheer  merit  to  the  position  of  Solicitor-General  for 
Scotland  in  the  last  Liberal  administration.  This 
article  attracted  the  attention  of  the  Scottish-American 
millionaire,  and  the  two  Dunfermline  men  had  many 
conversations  about  its  main  idea.  After  a  lapse  of  a 
few  years  Mr.  Carnegie  has  carried  the  principles  of 
the  scheme  into  practical  effect,  with  an  endowment 
of  ;£2, 000,000. 

The  preamble  of  the  deed  conveying  the  gift  states 
that,  having  retired  from  active  business,  he  deems  it 
"to  be  his  duty  and  one  of  his  highest  privileges  to 
administer  the  wealth  which  has  come  to  him  as  a 
trustee  on  behalf  of  others."  Being  fully  convinced 
that  one  of  the  best  means  of  discharging  that  trust 
is  "by  providing  funds  for  improving  and  extending 
the  opportunities  for  scientific  study  and  research  in 
the  universities  of  Scotland,  and  by  rendering  attend- 
ance at  these  universities,  and  the  enjoyment  of  their 
advantages,  more  available  to  the  deserving  and  quali- 
fied youth  of  Scotland,  to  whom  the  payment  of  fees 
might  act  as  a  barrier  to  the  enjoyment  of  these  advan- 
tages,'* he  decided  to  transfer  to  a  body  of  trustees 
bonds  of  the  United  States  Steel  Corporation  of  the 


HIS   BENEFACTIONS  169 

aggregate  value  of  $10,000,000,  bearing  interest  at  five 
per  cent,  per  annum,  and  having  a  currency  of  fifty 
years.  The  income  to  be  derived  from  this  endow- 
ment by  the  trustees  will  be  therefore  $500,000  per 
annum. 

The  trustees  appointed  include  some  of  the  foremost 
public  men  of  the  day,  and  it  is  worthy  of  note  that 
they  are  all  connected  with  Scotland,  either  by  birth 
or  by  adoption,  or  as  representatives  of  Scottish  con- 
stituencies in  the  British  Parliament,  and  that  they 
comprise  all  shades  of  political  thought. 

The  names  of  the  trustees  are  the  Earl  of  Elgin 
(chairman);  the  Earl  of  Rosebery;  Lord  Balfour  of 
Burleigh;  Lord  Kelvin;  Lord  Reay;  Lord  Kinnear; 
Sir  Henry  Campbell-Bannerman,  M.  P.;  Mr.  A.  J. 
Balfour,  M.  P.;  Mr.  Bryce,  M.  P.;  Mr.  John  Morley, 
M.  P.;  Sir  Robert  PuUar;  Sir  Henry  E.  Roscoe;  Mr. 
Haldane,  M.  P. ;  and  Mr.  Thomas  Shaw,  M.  P.  The 
following  are  trustees  ex  officio:  The  Secretary  for 
Scotland;  the  Lords  Provost  of  Edinburgh,  Glasgow 
and  Dunfermline.  The  four  universities  are  each  to 
be  represented  by  one  trustee,  to  be  chosen  by  the 
University  Courts.  The  trust  deed  is  followed  by  a 
constitution,  which  provides  that  the  administration 
of  the  trust  shall  be  conducted  by  an  executive  com- 
mittee of  nine  members.  The  first  committee  is  con- 
stituted as   follows:   The   Earl  of   Elgin  (chairman), 


I70  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

Lord  Balfour  of  Burleigh,  Lord  Kinnear,  Sir  Henry  E. 
Roscoe,  Mr.  Thomas  Shaw,  the  Lord  Provost  of 
Edinburgh,  the  Lord  Provost  of  Glasgow.  The  two 
remaining  members  are  to  be  two  of  the  four  trustees 
nominated  by  the  University  Courts,  the  members  for 
Edinburgh  and  Aberdeen  acting  during  the  first  two 
years  and  the  members  for  Glasgow  and  St.  Andrew 
acting  during  the  second  two  years.  The  committee  have 
full  power  and  discretion  in  dealing  with  the  income 
of  the  trust,  and  expending  it  in  such  a  manner  as  they 
consider  will  best  promote  the  interests  of  Scottish 
university  education. 

The  trust  deed  states  that  one-half  of  the  net  annual 
income  is  to  be  applied  toward  the  improvement  and 
expansion  of  the  imiversities  of  Scotland  in  the  facul- 
ties of  science  and  medicine,  also  for  improving  and 
extending  the  opportunities  for  scientific  study  and 
research,  and  for  increasing  the  facilities  for  acquiring 
a  knowledge  of  history,  economics,  English  literature 
and  modem  languages,  and  such  other  subjects, 
cognate  to  a  technical  or  commercial  education,  as 
can  be  brought  within  the  scope  of  the  university 
curriculum  by  the  erection  of  buildings,  laboratories, 
classrooms,  museums  or  libraries;  the  provision  of 
efficient  apparatus,  books  and  equipment;  the  insti- 
tution and  endowment  of  the  professorships  and  lecture- 
ships, including  post-graduate  lectureships  and  scholar- 


HIS   BENEFACTIONS  171 

ships,  more  especially  scholarships  for  the  purpose  of 
encouraging  research  in  any  one  or  more  of  the  subjects 
before  named. 

If  it  is  found  necessary  the  future  income  of  the  trust 
may  be  mortgaged  to  further  the  above  objects,  subject 
to  the  consent  of  the  majority  of  the  trustees  being 
obtained. 

The  other  half  of  the  income,  or  such  part  thereof  as 
in  each  year  may  be  found  requisite,  is  to  be  devoted 
to  the  payment  of  the  whole  or  part  of  the  ordinary 
class  fees  exacted  by  the  universities  from  students 
of  Scottish  birth  or  extraction,  and  of  sixteen  years  of 
age  upward,  or  scholars  who  have  given  two  years' 
attendance  after  the  age  of  fourteen  years  at  State- 
aided  schools  in  Scotland,  or  at  such  other  schools  and 
institutes  in  Scotland  as  are  under  the  inspection  of  the 
Scottish  Educational  Department.  The  student  must 
have  passed  in  the  subject-matter  of  the  class  in  which 
payment  of  fees  is  desired  an  examination  qualifying 
for  admission  to  the  study  of  that  subject  at  the 
universities  with  a  view  to  graduation  in  any  of  the 
faculties.  The  students  are  to  make  application  for  the 
payment  of  their  fees  in  such  form  as  may  be  prescribed 
by  the  committee.  The  decision  of  the  committee 
in  all  questions  of  qualification  is  to  be  final,  and  the 
fees  of  all  applicants  declared  to  be  eligible  are  in  each 
case  to  be  paid  by  the  committee  as  they  become 


172  ANDREW   CARNEGIE 

due  to  the  factors  or  authorized  officers  of  the 
universities. 

If  the  committee,  after  due  inquiry,  are  satisfied  that 
any  student  has  shown  exceptional  merit  at  the  tmi- 
versity,  and  may  advantageously  be  afforded  assist- 
ance beyond  the  payment  of  ordinary  class  fees,  they 
are  to  have  power  to  extend  such  assistance  either  in 
money  or  other  privileges,  upon  such  conditions  and 
under  such  regulations  as  they  may  prescribe.  They 
are  to  have  power  to  withhold  payment  of  fees  from 
any  student  who  is  guilty  of  misconduct,  or  who  fails 
within  a  reasonable  time  to  pass  the  ordinary  examina- 
tion of  the  universities,  or  any  of  them. 

Extra  mural  colleges,  science  schools  or  evening 
classes  in  Scotland,  attendance  at  which  is  recognized 
as  qualifying  or  assisting  to  qualify  for  graduation, 
are  entitled  to  participate  in  any  surplus  income.  The 
committee  are  also  authorized  to  expend  any  unused 
income  in  establishing  courses  of  lectures  for  the  benefit 
of  evening  classes,  attended  by  students  engaged  in 
industrial  or  professional  occupation  during  the  day, 
or  in  any  other  way  they  think  proper  in  connec- 
tion with  the  purposes  expressed  in  the  trust  deed 
and  constitution.  In  the  event  of  the  full  income  not 
being  expended,  the  balance  is  to  be  paid  into  a 
reserve  fund.  The  benefits  of  the  trust  are  available  to 
students  of  both  sexes.     The  trustees  have  power  by  a 


HIS   BENEFACTIONS  173 

two-thirds  majority  to  modify  the  conditions  imder 
which  the  funds  may  be  appHed  to  meet  the  purposes 
of  the  donor,  as  expressed  in  the  constitution,  and 
according  to  the  changed  conditions  of  the  time.  Mr. 
Carnegie  signed  the  trust  deed  on  June  7,  1901,  from 
which  date  the  benefits  accruing  from  his  magnificent 
gift  began  to  operate. 

The  publication  of  the  details  of  the  scheme  attracted 
widespread  attention.  The  inevitable  faint  rumblings 
of  the  critics  were  heard,  but  generally  the  scheme  was 
heartily  approved.  A  certain  few,  who  had  not  grasped 
the  comprehensive  nature  of  the  trust,  asserted  that  it 
would  pauperize  University  education  and  lower  its 
dignity,  but  this  result  will  be  impossible  if  the  stipu- 
lations contained  in  the  trust  deed  are  carried  out. 
The  scheme  aims  at  opening  the  portals  of  University 
education  to  those  of  Scotland's  sons  and  daughters 
who  show  evidences  of  maturing  abilities  and  a  desire 
to  cultivate  their  gifts  and  extend  their  knowledge. 
Scotland  need  not  trouble  itself  about  the  class  of 
intellectual  paupers  free  university  education  will 
produce,  for  they  are  destined  to  occupy  the  great 
positions  of  their  land  and  to  form  the  solid  foundation 
of  its  commercial  prosperity. 

Mr.  Carnegie  has  given  instructions  that  the  self- 
respect  of  parents  and  students  should  be  recognized. 
Provision  will  be  made  for  treating  the  stims  paid  for 


174  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

fees  as  advances  to  be  repaid  or  not  at  the  recipient's 
choice.  He  believes  some  of  the  truest  and  best  will 
one  day,  if  ever  they  become  rich,  remember  the  trust 
which  gave  them  educational  assistance  in  the  days  of 
industrious  poverty.  The  proceedings  of  the  trustees 
will  be  strictly  confidential,  and  it  will  therefore  not  be 
known  whether  or  not  a  student  has  paid  any  fees. 

Speaking  at  the  time  when  the  scheme  was  made 
public,  both  Sir  Henry  Campbell-Bannerman  and 
Mr.  John  Morley  made  appreciative  references  to  Mr. 
Carnegie's  tmique  offer.  The  Times,  however,  went  so 
far  as  to  express  the  hope  that  the  non-payment  of 
fees  would  eventually  be  abolished,  in  order  that  all  the 
money  could  be  devoted  to  ''providing  world-renowned 
laboratories  of  science."  This  view  found  scant 
favor,  especially  among  Mr.  Carnegie's  coimtrymen, 
who  recognized  that  he  had  already  made  provision 
for  research,  and  that  the  primary  object  of  his  great 
scheme  was  not  to  improve  the  lot  of  the  professor, 
but  to  aid  and  stimulate  the  industrious  student  with 
slender  means  and  high  aspirations. 

As  the  scheme  became  more  generally  understood, 
and  hasty  and  imperfect  conception  gave  place  to 
deliberate  examination,  the  wisdom  and  foresight  of  the 
fotmder  was  conceded  by  even  the  critics,  and  it  was 
frankly  acknowledged  that  by  his  princely  endow- 
ment Mr.  Carnegie  was  giving  the  youth  of  Scotland 


HIS  BENEFACTIONS  175 

the  best  and  surest  equipment  to  enable  them  success- 
fully to  meet  commercial  and  professional  com- 
petition. In  future  years  thousands  of  Scotchmen 
will  bless  the  name  of  Carnegie  and  honor  the  man 
whose  patriotic  action  placed  within  their  reach  the 
highest  education.  A  generation  hence  the  foremost 
men  in  Britain  will  bear  grateful  testimony  to  Mr. 
Carnegie  as  the  benefactor  who  made  it  possible  for 
them  to  lay  the  foundation  of  a  successful  career  by 
assisting  them  to  obtain  a  thorough  education. 

Following  closely  the  annotmcement  of  the  details  of 
the  great  gift  to  the  Scottish  universities  came  the 
nmior  of  a  similar  gift  to  the  people  of  the  United 
States.  Washington,  the  centre  of  government  of  the 
Republic  of  which  Andrew  Carnegie  is  so  loyal  and 
eminent  a  citizen,  is  the  seat  of  the  Carnegie  Institution. 
This  great  gift  of  $10,000,000  is  parallel  in  many  ways 
with  the  gift  to  the  Scottish  universities,  as  will  be 
seen  by  the  informal  plan  of  the  Carnegie  Institution, 
prepared  by  Dr.  Daniel  C.  Oilman. 

Among  its  aims  are  these : 

To  increase  the  efficiency  of  the  universities  and 
other  institutions  of  learning  throughout  the  coimtry, 
by  seeking  to  utilize  and  add  to  their  existing  facilities, 
and  to  aid  teachers  in  the  various  institutions  for 
experimental  and  other  work  in  these  institutions  as 
far  as  practicable. 


176  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

To  discover  the  invaluable  and  exceptional  man  in 
every  department  of  study,  whenever  and  wherever 
found,  inside  or  outside  of  the  schools,  and  enable  him 
by  financial  aid  to  make  the  work  for  which  he  seems 
specially  designed  his  life-work. 

To  promote  original  research,  paying  great  attention 
thereto,  as  being  one  of  the  chief  purposes  of  this 
institution. 

To  increase  facilities  for  higher  education. 

To  make  more  useful,  to  such  students  as  may  find 
Washington  the  best  point  for  their  special  studies,  the 
museums,  libraries,  laboratories,  observatory,  meteoro- 
logical, piscicultural  and  forestry  schools,  and  kindred 
institutions  of  the  several  departments  of  the  govern- 
ment. 

To  insure  the  prompt  publication  and  distribution  of 
the  results  of  scientific  investigation,  a  field  considered 
to  be  highly  important. 

These  and  kindred  objects  are  to  be  attained  by  the 
employment  of  able  teachers  in  the  various  institutions 
in  Washington,  or  at  other  points,  and  by  enabling  men 
fitted  for  special  work  to  devote  themselves  to  it, 
through  salaried  fellowships  or  scholarships,  or  through 
salaries  carrying  pensions  in  old  age,  or  through  aid 
in  other  forms  to  such  men  as  continue  their  special 
work  at  seats  of  learning,  or  who  may  be  discovered 
outside  the  schools. 


HIS   BENEFACTIONS  177 

The  form  of  organization  is  very  simple.  Under  the 
general  law  of  the  District  of  Columbia  six  persons — 
namely,  Messrs.  John  Hay,  Edward  D.  White,  John  S. 
Billings,  Charles  D.  Walcott,  Carroll  D.  Wright  and 
Daniel  C.  Oilman — formed  an  incorporation  at  Mr. 
Carnegie's  request,  and  subsequently,  on  his  nomina- 
tion, selected  twenty-seven  persons  to  be  the  trustees, 
namely :  the  President  of  the  United  States,  the 
President  of  the  United  States  Senate,  the  Speaker  of 
the  House  of  Representatives,  the  Secretary  of  the 
Smithsonian  Institution,  the  President  of  the  National 
Academy  of  Sciences,  ex  ofjiciis;  Orover  Cleveland, 
John  S.  Billings,  William  N.  Frey,  Lyman  J.  Oage, 
Daniel  C.  Oilman,  John  Hay,  Abram  S.  Hewitt,  Henry 
L.  Higginson,  Henry  Hitchcock,  Charles  L.  Hutchinson, 
William  Lindsay,  Seth  Low,  Wayne  MacVeagh,  D.  O. 
Mills,  S.  Weir  Mitchell,  W.  W.  Morrow,  Elihu  Root, 
John  C.  Spooner,  Andrew  D.  White,  Edward  D.  White, 
Charles  D.  Walcott  and  Carroll  D.  Wright. 

Mr.  Carnegie's  gift  made  possible,  but  much  more 
comprehensively,  a  great  educational  scheme  that 
originated  in  the  mind  of  Oeorge  Washington  and  has 
been  a  dream  of  educators  ever  since. 

Mr.  Carnegie's  chief  aims  in  the  distribution  of  his 
wealth,  so  far,  have  been  to  assist  the  spread  of  knowl- 
edge, to  encourage  self-help  and  industrious  ambition, 
and  to  implant  noble  ideals  of  citizenship  and  brother- 


178  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

hood  in  the  minds  of  the  rising  generatior^  Mr. 
Gladstone  spoke  of  his  methods  of  bestowal  as  being 
worthy  of  high  praise,  and  said  that  their  effect  would 
be  to  ''teach  high  thought  and  amiable  words,  and 
courtliness,  and  the  desire  of  fame,  and  love  of  truth, 
and  all  that  makes  a  man."  This  eulogy  has  already 
been  well  earned  by  its  recipient. 


The  Pen  of  a  Ready  Writer 


L 


CHAPTER  XI 

THE  PEN  OF  A  READY  WRITER 

ITERARY  pursuits  have  always  been  to  Andrew 


Carnegie  a  real  source  of  pleasur^  He  has 


allowed  his  natural  gifts  in  this  direction  to  have  full 
scope,  and  has  acquired  a  worthy  reputation  as  a  strong 
and  incisive  writer,  with  a  vivid,  attractive  style  and  a 
mastery  of  powerful  illustration  and  apt  quotation. 

Notwithstanding  the  heavy  tax  upon  his  time  and 
energies  involved  in  the  building  up  of  the  gigantic  con- 
cern which  bears  his  name,  he  has  found  leisure  to 
indulge  in  literary  work.  The  journalistic  craving  has 
always  been  strong  within  him,  and  the  writing  of 
articles,  chiefly  on  commercial,  political  and  social 
questions,  for  the  principal  reviews  of  both  countries, 
has  been  to  him  a  welcome  recreation  from  the  storm 
and  stress  of  business.  We  have  already  referred  to 
the  most  important  of  his  articles,  which  earned  him 
his  international  notoriety  as  a  writer  and  social 
refquner. 

yin  addition  to  a  large  number  of  lengthy  and  valu- 
able magazine  articles,   he  has  written  four  books^ 
His  first  publication,  entitled  "Round  the  World,'* 
which   appeared    in    1879,    contained   a   picturesque 

181 


i82  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

account  of  a  trip  across  the  Pacific  to  Japan,  China  and 
India,  and  home  again  via  the  Suez  Canal  and  Europe. 
There  is  much  in  this  book  that  shows  the  characteris- 
tics of  the  man,  his  keen  estimate  of  German  nature, 
his  interest  in  and  understanding  of  social  and  political 
economics.  Many  of  Mr.  Carnegie's  descriptions  are 
as  graphic  as  they  are  unconventional.  He  has  the 
following  to  say  about  the  first  sight  of  Japan  and  the 
landing : 

"Land  ahoy  !  The  islands  of  Japan  are  in  sight,  and 
the  entrance  to  the  bay  is  reached  at  4  p.  m.  The  sail 
up  this  bay  is  never  to  be  forgotten.  The  sim  set  as  we 
entered,  and  then  came  such  a  sky  as  Italy  cannot  rival. 
I  have  seen  it  pictured  as  deluging  Egypt  with  its 
glory,  but  this  we  have  yet  to  see.  Fusiyama  itself 
shone  forth  under  its  rays,  its  very  summit  clear,  more 
than  14,000  feet  above  us.  The  clouds  in  large  masses 
lay  east  and  west  of  the  peak,  but  cowering  far  below, 
as  if  not  one  speck  dared  to  rise  to  its  crown.  It  stood 
alone  in  solitary  granduer,  by  far  the  most  impressive 
mountain  I  have  yet  seen ;  for  mountains,  as  a  rule,  are 
disappointing,  the  height  being  generally  attained  by 
gradations.  It  is  only  to  Fusiyama,  and  such  as  it,  that 
rise  alone  in  one  unbroken  pyramid,  that  one  can  apply 
Schiller's  grand  line, 

"Ye  are  the  things  which  tower." 
Fusiyama  towers  beyond  any  crag  or  peak  I  know  of. 


THE  PEN  OF  A  READY  WRITER        183 

and  I  do  not  wonder  that  in  early  days  the  Japanese 
made  the  home  of  their  gods  upon  its  crest. 

"It  was  nine  o'clock  when  the  anchor  dropped,  and  in 
a  few  minutes  after  small  boats  crowded  alongside  to 
take  us  ashore.  Until  you  are  rowed  in  a  sampan  in 
style,  never  flatter  yourself  you  have  known  the 
grotesque  in  the  way  of  transportation.  Fancy  a  large, 
wide  canoe,  with  a  small  cabin  in  the  stem,  the  deck  in 
front  lower  than  the  sides,  and  on  this  four  creatures, 
resembling  nothing  on  earth  so  much  as  the  demons  in 
the  Black  Crook,  minus  most  of  the  covering.  They 
stand  two  on  each  side,  but  not  in  a  line,  and  each  works 
a  long  oar  scull-fashion,  accompanying  each  stroke  with 
shouts  such  as  we  have  never  heard  before ;  the  last  one 
steers  as  well  as  sculls  with  his  oar,  and  thus  we  go, 
propelled  by  these  yelHng  devils,  who  apparently  work 
themselves  into  a  state  of  fearful  excitement." 

This  paragraph,  written  as  the  author  is  about  to 
leave  the  land  of  the  Rising  Sun,  contains  a  prophecy 
that  has  long  been  realized : 

"That  Japan  will  succeed  in  her  effort  to  establish  a 
central  government  under  something  like  our  ideas  of 
freedom  and  law,  and  that  she  has  such  resources  as  will 
enable  her  to  maintain  it  and  educate  her  people  I  am 
glad  to  be  able  to  say  I  believe ;  but  much  remains  to 
be  done  requiring  in  the  race  the  exercise  of  solid  quali- 
ties, the  possession  of  which  I  find  some  Europeans 


i84  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

disposed  to  deny  them.  They  have  traveled,  perhaps, 
quite  fast  enough,  and  I  look  for  a  temporary  triumph 
of  the  more  conservative  party.  But  the  seed  is  sown, 
and  Japan  will  move,  upon  the  whole,  in  the  direction 
of  progress.' 

Referring  to  the  conditions  in  Ceylon,  Mr.  Carnegie 
has  to  say : 

"I  am  amused  at  the  ignorance  of  the  average 
Englishman  or  American  upon  Eastern  affairs.  He  is 
always  amazed  when  I  tell  him  that  so  far  as  repre- 
sentative institutions  are  concerned,  there  is  not  a 
village  in  India  which  is  not  further  advanced  in  this 
department  of  politics  than  any  rural  constituency  in 
Britain.  The  American  county,  village,  district  and 
township  system  is,  of  course,  more  perfect  than  any 
other  with  which  I  am  acquainted,  but  the  English  is 
really  about  the  most  backward.  The  experiment  in 
Ceylon  of  restoring  the  native  system  has  been  an 
unequivocal  success,  even  beyond  the  expectations  of 
its  warmest  advocates,  and  in  addition  to  the  advan- 
tages flowing  from  the  native  courts,  it  is  found  that 
the  village  committees  are  beginning  to  repair  and 
restore  the  ancient  tanks  and  other  irrigation  works, 
which,  under  the  curse  of  centralized  and  foreign 
authority,  had  been  allowed  to  fall  into  disuse." 

The  following  passage  is  an  interesting  parallel  to 
that  quoting  the  wages  of  workingmen  in  England. 


THE  PEN  OF  A  READY  WRITER        185 

The   "land'*    referred  to    is    India,    and    the    place 
Benares. 

"We  are  in  the  land  of  the  cheapest  labor  in  the 
world.  It  is  doubtful  if  men  can  be  found  anywhere 
else  to  do  a  day's  work  for  as  little  as  they  are  paid 
in  India.  Railway  laborers  and  coolies  of  all  kinds  re- 
ceive only  four  rupees  per  month,  and  find  themselves ; 
these  are  worth  just  now  forty  cents  each,  or  say  $1.60 
(6s.  6d.)  in  gold  for  a  month's  service.  Upon  this  a 
man  has  to  exist.  Is  it  any  wonder  that  the  masses 
are  constantly  upon  the  verge  of  starvation  ?  Women 
earn  much  less,  and  of  course  every  member  of  a 
family  has  to  work  and  earn  something.  The  common 
food  is  a  pulse  called  gran ;  the  better  class  indulge 
in  a  pea  called  daahl.  Anything  beyond  a  vegetable 
diet  is  not  dreamed  of.'* 

Mr.  Carnegie's  anti-imperialism  crops  out  strongly  in 
the  following,  but  one  cannot  help  thinking  what  a 
splendid  thing  England  is  doing  in  "giving  to  these 
millions  the  blessings  of  order" — ^well  worth  the  cost. 

"What  do  I  think  of  India?  is  asked  me  every  day; 
but  I  feel  that  one  accustomed  to  the  exceptional 
fertility  and  advantages  of  America — a  land  so  wonder- 
fully endowed  that  it  seems  to  me  more  and  more  the 
special  favorite  of  fortune — is  very  apt  to  underrate 
India.  We  saw  it  after  two  years  of  bad  harvests  and 
a  third  most  unpromising  one  coming  on.     Judged 


i86  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

from  what  I  saw,  I  can  only  say  that  I,  as  a  lover  of 
England,  find  it  impossible  to  repress  the  wish  that 
springs  up  at  every  turn,  Would  she  were  safely  and 
honorably  out  of  it  ?  Retiring  now  is  out  of  the  ques- 
tion; she  has  abolished  the  native  system  in  large  dis- 
tricts, and  must  perforce  continue  the  glorious  task  of 
giving  to  these  millions  the  blessings  of  order." 

This  was  followed  in  1882  by  "Our  Coaching  Trip," 
which  is  an  interesting  record  of  a  drive  on  a  coach  and 
four  through  England  and  Scotland  from  Brighton  to 
Inverness.  These  two  books  were  intended  for  private 
circulation  only,  but  they  aroused  so  much  interest 
that  after  giving  away  fifteen  hundred  copies  of  the 
latter  work  and  a  large  number  of  the  former  a  second 
issue  of  both  was  found  necessary.  "Our  Coaching 
Trip"  was  re-entitled  "An  American  Four-in-Hand  in 
Britain."  Mr.  Carnegie  rambles  on  in  a  delightful 
way,  digressing  often,  following  any  byway  that  might 
strike  his  fancy,  stating  facts,  quoting  appropriately  at 
timeiB. 

^^ven  in  this  lighter  literature  Mr.  Carnegie's  strong 
likes  and  dislikes  show  clearly;  his  abhorrence  of  war, 
his  dislike  for  monarchical  institutions,  his  ipion- 
sectarianism^— all  these  characteristics  crop  out  any- 
where and  everywhere../ 

A  few  quotations,  follow.  Anent  a  visit  to  Parlia- 
ment he  says :  s^a\ 


THE  PEN  OF  A  READY  WRITER        187 

"The  daily  routine  is  uninteresting,  and  one  sees 
how  rapidly  all  houses  of  legislation  are  losing  their 
hold  upon  public  attention.  A  debate  upon  the  pro- 
priety of  allowing  Manchester  to  dispose  of  her  sewage 
to  please  herself,  or  of  permitting  Dunfermline  to  bring 
in  a  supply  of  water,  seems  such  a  waste  of  time.  The 
Imperial  Parliament  of  Great  Britain  is  much  in  want 
of  something  to  do  when  it  condescends  to  occupy  its 
time  with  trifling  questions  which  the  community 
interested  can  best  settle;  but  even  in  matters  of 
national  importance  debates  are  no  longer  what  they 
were.  The  questions  have  already  been  threshed  out 
in  the  Reviews — ^those  coming  forums  of  discussion — 
and  all  that  can  be  said  is  already  said  by  writers  upon 
both  sides  of  the  question  who  know  its  bearings  much 
better  than  the  leaders  of  party." 

The  author's  love  for  his  adopted  country  rings  out 
in  the  following : 

"Do  you  know  why  the  American  worships  the  starry 
banner  with  a  more  intense  passion  than  even  the 
Briton  does  his  flag  ?  I  will  tell  you.  It  is  because  it 
is  not  the  flag  of  a  government  which  discriminates 
between  her  children,  decreeing  privilege  to  one  and 
denying  it  to  another,  but  the  flag  of  the  people  which 
gives  the  same  rights  to  all.  The  British  flag  was  bom 
too  soon  to  be  close  to  the  masses.  It  came  before 
their  time,  when  they  had  little  or  no  power.     They 


i88  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

were  not  consulted  about  it.  Some  conclave  made  it, 
as  a  pope  is  made,  and  handed  it  down  to  the  nation. 
But  the  American  flag  bears  in  every  fiber  the  warrant, 
'We  the  People  in  Congress  assembled.'  It  is  their 
own  child,  and  how  supremely  it  is  beloved  !" 

And  again  in  reference  to  Garfield : 

''Garfield's  life  was  not  in  vain.  It  tells  it  own  story 
— ^this  poor  boy  toiling  upward  to  the  proudest  position 
on  earth,  the  elected  of  fifty  millions  of  freemen;  a 
position  compared  with  which  that  of  king  or  kaiser 
is  as  nothing.  Let  other  nations  ask  themselves  where 
are  our  Lincolns  and  Garfields?  Ah,  they  grow  not 
except  where  all  men  are  bom  equal !  The  cold  shade 
of  aristocracy  nips  them  in  the  bud." 

He  painted  many  pictures  of  English  rural  life  and 
showed  a  surprising  appreciation  of  Nature.  Here  is 
an  illustration : 

*The  approach  to  Guildford  gives  us  our  first  real 
perfect  English  lane — so  narrow  and  so  bound  in  by 
towering  hedgerows  worthy  the  name.  Had  we  met 
a  vehicle  at  some  of  the  prettiest  turns  there  would 
have  been  trouble,  for,  although  the  lane  is  not  quite  as 
narrow  as  the  pathway  of  the  auld  brig,  where  two 
wheelbarrows  trembled  as  they  met,  yet  a  four-in-hand 
upon  an  English  lane  requires  a  clear  tack.  Vegeta- 
tion near  Guildford  is  luxiiriant  enough  to  meet  our 
expectations  of  England.     It  was  at  the  White  Lion 


THE  PEN  OF  A  READY  WRITER       189 

we  halted,  and  here  came  oiir  first  experience  of  quar- 
ters for  the  night.  The  first  dinner  en  route  was  a 
decided  success  in  oxir  fine  sitting-room,  the  American 
flags,  brought  into  requisition  for  the  first  time  to 
decorate  the  mantel,  bringing  to  all  sweet  memories  of 
home.  During  our  stroll  to-day  we  stopped  at  a  small 
village  inn  before  which  pretty  roses  grew,  hanging  in 
clusters  upon  its  sides.  It  was  a  very  small  and  himible 
inn  indeed,  the  tile  floors  sanded,  and  the  fumitiire  of 
the  tap-room  only  plain  wood — ^there  were  no  chairs, 
only  benches  around  the  table  where  the  hinds  sit  at 
night,  drinking  home-brewed  beer,  smoking  their  clay 
pipes,  and  discussing  not  the  political  affairs  of  the 
nation,  but  the  affairs  of  their  little  world,  bounded  by 
the  hall  at  one  end  of  the  estate  and  the  parsonage  at 
the  other." 

Also  this  bit  of  description : 

"The  rugs  were  laid  under  a  chestnut  tree,  and  our 
first  picnic  luncheon  spread  on  the  buttercups  and 
daisies.  Swallows  skimmed  the  water,  bees  hummed 
above  us — ^but  stop  !  what's  that,  and  where  ?  Otir 
first  skylark  singing  at  heaven's  gate  ?  All  who  heard 
this  never-to-be-forgotten  song  for  the  first  time  were 
up  and  on  their  feet  in  an  instant ;  but  the  tiny  songster 
which  was  then  filling  the  azure  vault  with  music  was 
nowhere  to  be  seen.  It's  worth  an  Atlantic  voyage 
to  hear  a  skylark  for  the  first  time.     Even  luncheon 


I90  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

was  neglected  awhile,  hungry  as  we  were,  that  we  might 
if  possible  catch  a  glimpse  of  the  warbler.  The  flood 
of  song  poured  forth  as  we  stood  rapt  awaiting  the 
descent  of  the  messenger  from  heaven.  At  last  a  small 
black  speck  came  into  sight.  He  is  so  little  to  see — so 
great  to  hear  ? 

Interested  in  workmen  the  world  over,  Mr.  Carnegie 
wormed  the  following  from  a  carpenter  whom  he 
happened  to  meet : 

"  He  was  a  rough  carpenter  and  his  wages  were  six- 
teen shillings  per  week  ($4).  A  laborer  gets  eleven 
shillings  (not  $2.75),  but  some  'good  masters'  pay 
thirteen  to  fourteen  shillings  ($3.25  to  $3.50)  and  give 
their  men  four  or  five  poimds  of  beef  at  Christmas. 
Food  is  bacon  and  tea,  which  are  cheap,  but  no  beef. 
Men's  wages  have  not  advanced  much  for  many  years 
(I  should  think  not !),  but  women's  have.  An  ordinary 
woman  for  field  work  can  get  one  shilling  per  day 
(twenty-four  cents) ;  a  short  time  ago  ninepence 
(eighteen  cents)  was  the  highest  amount  paid.  Is  it  not 
cheering  to  find  poor  women  getting  an  advance  ?  But 
think  what  their  condition  still  is,  when  one  shilling 
per  day  is  considered  good  pay?  I  asked  whether 
employers  did  not  board  the  workers  in  addition  to 
paying  these  wages,  but  he  assured  me  they  did  not. 
This  is  Southern  England  and  these  are  agricultural 
laborers,  but  the  wages  seem  distressingly  low  even 


THE  PEN  OF  A  READY  WRITER       191 

as  compared  with  British  wages  in  general.  The  new 
system  of  education  and  the  coming  extension  of  the 
stiff  rage  to  the  cotmties  will  soon  work  a  change  among 
these  poor  people.  They  will  not  rest  content  crowding 
each  other  down  thus  to  a  pittance  when  they  can 
read  and  write  and  vote.     Thank  fortune  for  this." 

The  following  good  advice  Mr.  Carnegie  has  followed 
himself.  It  is  rather  characteristic  of  the  man  that  his 
preaching  and  his  practice  coincide : 

"We  strolled  over  and  watched  the  cricketers.  It 
all  depends  upon  how  you  look  at  a  thing.  So  many 
able-bodied  perspiring  men  knocking  about  a  little 
ball  on  a  warm  simimer's  day,  that  is  one  way;  so  many 
men  relieved  from  anxious  care  and  laying  the  founda- 
tions for  long  years  of  robust  health  by  invigorating 
exercise  in  the  open  air,  that  is  the  other  view  of  the 
question.  The  ancients  did  not  count  against  our 
little  time  of  life  the  days  spent  in  the  chase;  neither 
need  we  charge  those  spent  in  cricket ;  and  as  for  our 
sport,  coaching,  for  every  day  so  spent  we  decided  that 
it  and  another  might  be  safely  credited.  He  was  a 
very  wise  prime  minister  who  said  he  had  often  found 
important  duties  for  which  he  had  not  time ;  one  duty, 
however,  he  had  always  made  time  for,  his  daily  after- 
noon ride  on  horseback.  Your  always  busy  man  accom- 
plishes little;  the  great  doer  is  he  who  has  plenty  of 
leisure.     The  man  at  the  helm  turns  the  wheel  now  and 


192  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

then,  and  so  easily,  too,  touching  an  electric  bell ;  it's 
the  stoker  down  below  who  is  pitching  into  it  with  his 
coat  off.  And  look  at  Captain  McMicken  promenading 
the  deck  in  his  uniform  and  a  face  like  a  full  moon ; 
quite  at  his  ease  and  ready  for  a  story.  And  there  is 
Johnnie  Watson,  chief  engineer,  who  rules  over  the 
throbbing  heart  of  the  ship;  he  is  standing  there 
prepared  for  a  crack.  Moral:  Don't  worry  yourself 
over  work,  hold  yourself  in  reserve,  and  sure  as  fate 
'  it  will  all  come  right  in  the  wash.  *  '* 

"A  beautiful  tribute  to  the  mother  land  is  found 
in  the  names  of  towns  and  cities  in  the  new.  As  even  on 
the  crowded,  tiny  Mayflower  the  stem  Puritan  found 
room  to  bring  and  nurse  with  tender  care  the  daisy  of 
his  native  land,  so  the  citizen,  driven  from  the  dear  old 
home,  ever  sighs,  '  England,  with  all  thy  faults  I  love 
thee  still.'  Surely,  why  not?  Her  faults  are  as  one, 
her  virtues  as  a  thousand.  And  having  a  new  home  to 
christen,  with  swelling  heart  and  tearful  eye,  and  a  love 
for  the  native  land  which  knows  no  end  and  never  can 
know  end  while  breath  clings  to  the  body,  he  conjures 
up  the  object  of  his  fondest  love  and  calls  his  new  home 
Boston,  York,  Brighton,  Hartford,  Stratford,  Lynn, 
Liverpool,  Glasgow,  Edinburgh,  Dtirham,  Perth, 
Aberdeen,  Dundee,  Norwich,  Cambridge,  Oxford, 
Canterbury,  Rochester,  London,  Newcastle,  Man- 
chester, Birmingham,  Middleboro',  Chester,  Coventry, 


THE  PEN  OF  A  READY  WRITER        193 

Plymouth,or  other  dear  name  of  the  place  where  in  life's 
young  days  he  had  danced  o'er  the  sunny  braes,  heard 
the  lark  sing  in  the  heavens,  and  the  mavis  pour  forth 
its  glad  song  from  the  hedgerow.  The  Briton  travels 
through  the  RepubHc  living  in  a  succession  of  hotels : 
Victorias,  Clarendons,  Windsors,  Westminsters,  Albe- 
marles.  He  might  think  himself  at  home  again  except 
that  the  superior  advantages  of  the  new  hostelries 
serve  to  remind  him  at  every  turn  that  things  are  not 
as  he  has  been  accustomed  to.  So  that  our  household 
gods  are  not  only  the  same  in  the  new  as  in  the  old  land, 
but  we  call  them  by  the  same  names  and  love  them. 
And  what  American  worthy  of  the  name  but  shall 
reverence  the  home  of  his  fathers  and  wish  it  god- 
speed ?  When  the  people  reign  in  the  old  home  as  they 
do  in  the  new,  the  two  nations  will  become  one  people, 
and  the  bonds  which  unite  them  the  world  combined 
shall  not  break  asunder.  The  republican  on  this  side 
of  the  Atlantic  will  extend  his  hand  to  his  fellow  upon 
the  other,  and  resolve  that  no  difference  between  them 
shall  ever  lead  to  war.  All  parties  in  the  Republic 
j,lready  stand  pledged  to  the  doctrine  of  peaceful 
arbitration.  The  reign  of  the  masses  is  the  road  to 
imiversal  peace.  Thrones  and  royal  families,  and  the 
influences  necessarily  surrounding  jealous  dynasties, 
make  for  war;  the  influences  surrounding  Democracy 
make  for  peace." 


194  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

Andrew  Carnegie  the  Scotchman  describes  himself 
when  the  border  line  was  crossed  and  the  coach  entered 
Scotland : 

"  It  was  on  Saturday,  July  i6th,  that  we  went  over 
the  border.  The  bridge  across  the  boundary  line  was 
soon  reached.  When  midway  over,  a  halt  was  called 
and  vent  given  to  our  enthusiasm.  With  three  cheers 
for  the  land  of  the  heather,  shouts  of  'Scotland  for- 
ever,' and  the  waving  of  hats  and  handkerchiefs,  we 
dashed  across  the  border.  O  Scotland,  my  own,  my 
native  land,  your  exiled  son  returns  with  love  for  you 
as  ardent  as  ever  warmed  the  heart  of  man  for  his 
country.  It's  a  God's  mercy  I  was  bom  a  Scotchman, 
for  I  do  not  see  how  I  could  ever  have  been  contented 
to  be  anything  else.  The  little  plucky  dour  deevil,  set 
in  her  own  ways  and  getting  them,  too,  level-headed 
and  shrewd,  with  an  eye  to  the  main  chance  always,  and 
yet  so  lovingly  weak,  so  fond,  so  led  away  by  song  or 
story,  so  easily  touched  to  fine  issues,  so  leal,  so  true ! 
Ah,  you  suit  me,  Scotia,  and  proud  am  I  that  I  am  your 
son." 

Altogether  "An  American  Four-in-Hand  in  Britain" 
is  an  extremely  vivacious  book,  sparkling  with  humor 
and  gems  of  scenic  description  and  chatty  reminis- 
cences. 

In  1886  was  published  his  best-known  work,  **  Trium- 
phant Democracy."     The  dedication  of  the  book  reads 


THE  PEN  OF  A  READY  WRITER       195 

as  follows — "To  the  beloved  Republic,  tinder  whose 
equal  laws  I  am  made  the  peer  of  any  man,  although 
denied  political  equality  by  my  native  land,  I  dedicate 
this  book,  with  an  intensity  of  gratitude  and  admiration 
which  the  native-bom  citizen  can  neither  feel  nor 
understand."  This,  together  with  the  first  paragraph, 
indicates  the  trend  of  the  book — ''The  old  nations 
creep  on  at  a  snail's  pace ;  the  Republic  thunders  past 
with  the  rush  of  an  express.  The  United  States,  the 
growth  of  a  single  century,  has  already  reached  the 
foremost  rank  among  nations,  and  is  destined  soon  to 
outdistance  all  others  in  the  race.  In  population,  in 
wealth,  in  annual  savings,  and  in  public  credit;  in 
freedom  from  debt,  in  agriculture  and  in  manufactures 
America  already  leads  the  civilized  world."  At  the 
time  he  wrote  the  book  Mr.  Carnegie  was  at  the  height 
of  his  political  enthusiasm,  and  his  caustic  attacks  on 
royalty  and  the  aristocracy,  together  with  the  real 
merit  of  the  volume  in  other  respects,  attracted  a  great 
deal  of  attention  and  criticism  and  aroused  not  a  little 
righteous  indignation. 

With  an  enthusiasm  for  his  adopted  country  that  is 
splendid,  and  from  the  point  of  view  of  the  Ameri- 
canized Briton,  he  proceeds  to  tell  the  Republic's 
greatness. 

"The  American  is  tolerant.  Politics  do  not  divide 
people.     Once  in  four  years  he  warms  up  and  takes 


196  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

sides,  opposing  hosts  confront  each  other,  and  a  stranger 
would  naturally  think  that  only  violence  could  result 
whichever  side  won.  The  morning  after  election  his 
arm  is  upon  his  opponent's  shoulder  and  they  are 
chaffing  each  other.  All  becomes  as  calm  as  a  Summer 
sea.  He  fights  ''rebels"  for  four  years,  and  as  soon 
as  they  lay  down  their  arms  invites  them  to  his  ban- 
quets." 

As  to  the  question  of  the  maintenance  of  the  purely 
American  race  he  has  this  to  say : 

*'It  is  not  unusual  to  find  in  the  writings  of  Euro- 
peans statements  to  the  effect  that  the  American  race 
is  unable  to  maintain  itself  without  the  constant  influx 
of  foreign  immigration.  A  position  more  directly 
opposed  to  the  facts  could  scarcely  be  taken.  Let  us 
see.  The  total  mmiber  of  persons  of  foreign  birth 
in  the  United  States  in  1890  was  approximately 
9,250,000.  The  total  number  of  persons  of  native 
birth,  but  whose  parents  were  of  foreign  birth,  in 
1890  was  approximately  10,400,000.  Now,  since  immi- 
gration on  a  large  scale  commenced  at  a  compara- 
tively recent  date,  it  is  not  probable  that  there  is  any 
considerable  number  of  persons  of  foreign  parentage 
in  the  second  generation.  Therefore,  the  sum  of  these 
19,650,000,  or,  in  round  ntimbers,  20,000,000,  is  prob- 
ably a  close  approximation  to  the  number  of  persons 
in  the  country  of  foreign  birth  or  of  foreign  parentage. 


THE  PEN  OF  A  READY  WRITER      197 

The  number  of  whites  in  the  United  States  in  1890 
was,  in  round  numbers,  55,000,000.  Subtracting  from 
this  the  above  20,000,000,  leaves  as  the  number  of 
whites  of  native  abstraction  in  the  United  States  in 
1890,  35,000,000.  In  1840  the  corresponding  nimiber 
was  approximately  14,000,000,  showing  that  in  fifty 
years  the  native  population,  tmaided  by  immigration, 
has  much  more  than  doubled — indeed,  has  increased 
no  less  than  one  hundred  and  fifty  per  cent.  It  does 
not  look  as  if  the  'American  race'  is  not  able  to  main- 
tain itself." 

For  even  the  much  maligned  immigrant  to  the  United 
States  he  has  a  good  word  : 

*'But  the  value  of  these  peaceful  invaders  does  not 
consist  solely  in  their  numbers  or  in  the  wealth  which 
they  bring.  To  estimate  them  aright  we  must  take 
into  consideration  their  superior  character.  As  the 
people  who  laid  the  foundation  of  the  American 
Republic  were  extremists,  fanatics,  if  you  will — men  of 
advanced  views  intellectually,  morally  and  politically; 
men  whom  Europe  had  rejected  as  dangerous — so  the 
emigrants  to-day  are  men  who  leave  their  native  land 
from  dissatisfaction  with  their  surroundings,  and  who 
seek  here,  under  new  conditions,  the  opportunity  for 
development  denied  them  at  home.  The  old  and 
destitute,  the  idle  and  the  contented,  do  not  brave  the 
waves  of  the  stormy  Atlantic,  but  sit  hopelessly  at  home 


198  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

perhaps  bewailing  their  hard  fate,  or,  what  is  still  more 
sad  to  see,  aimlessly  contented  with  it.  The  emigrant 
is  the  capable,  energetic,  ambitious,  discontented  man 
— ^who,  longing  to  breathe  the  air  of  equality,  resolves 
to  tear  himself  away  from  the  old  home  with  its  associa- 
tions, to  found  in  hospitable  America  a  new  home  imder 
equal  and  just  laws,  which  insure  to  him,  and — ^what 
counts  with  him  and  his  wife  far  more — insure  to  their 
children  the  full  measure  of  citizenship,  making  them 
free  men  in  a  free  State,  possessed  of  every  right  and 
privilege." 

Mr.  Carnegie,  a  thorough  student  of  economics  and 
prone  to  look  well  before  he  leaps,  has  no  patience  with 
snapshot  legislation. 

"These  grand,  immutable,  all-wise  laws  of  natural 
forces,  how  perfectly  they  work  if  human  legislators 
would  only  let  them  alone !  But  no,  they  must  be 
tinkering.  One  day  they  would  protect  the  balance  of 
power  in  Europe  by  keeping  weak,  small  areas  apart 
and  independent — ^an  impossible  task,  for  petty  States 
must  merge  into  the  greater:  political  is  as  certain  as 
physical  gravitation ;  the  next  day  it  is  silver  in  America 
which  our  sage  rulers  would  make  of  greater  intrinsic 
value.  So  our  governors,  all  over  the  world,  are  at 
Sisyphus 's  work — ever  rolling  the  stone  uphill  to  see 
it  roll  back  into  its  proper  bed  at  the  bottom." 

Though  Mr.  Carnegie's  enthusiasm  for  America  and 


THE  PEN  OF  A  READY  WRITER      199 

her  institutions  is  one  of  his  strongest  feelings,  he  has  a 
love  for  his  mother  country  that  crops  out  everywhere 
and  tinges  all  his  writings. 

A  hard  worker  himself,  Mr.  Carnegie  thoroughly 
believes  in  the  dignity  of  labor.  The  following  para- 
graph from  the  chapter  in  "Triumphant  Democracy" 
on  "Occupations"  shows  the  importance  he  attaches 
to  the  American's  capacity  for  work : 

"There  is  still  little  realized  wealth  and  only  a  trace 
of  a  leisure  class.  The  climate  stimulates  to  exertion. 
The  opinion  is  very  generally  held  that  every  citizen 
owes  the  Republic  a  Hfe  of  usefulness.  Carlyle  says: 
'Happy  is  the  man  who  has  found  his  work.'  Very 
few  Americans,  indeed,  are  permitted  to  trace  their 
unhappiness,  if  unhappiness  there  be,  to  a  failure  in  this 
direction.  Every  man  appears  to  have  found  his 
work  and  to  be  doing  it  with  a  will.  The  American 
likes  work.  He  has  not  yet  learned  to  play  the  idler 
gracefully.  Even  when  old  age  appears  he  seems  to 
find  it  more  difficult  than  the  man  of  any  other  race 
toretire  from  active  and  engrossing  pursuits." 
.^With  Mr.  Carnegie  practice  and  preaching  go  hand 
in  hand  to  a  remarkable  degree.  The  following  para- 
graph from  "Triumphant  Democracy"  matches  the 
ten-million  gifts  for  education  in  America  and  Scotland: 

"The  moral  to  be  drawn  from  America  by   every 
nation  is  this :  'Seek  ye  first  the  education  of  the  people, 


200  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

and  all  other  political  blessings  will  be  added  unto  you.' 
The  quarrels  of  party,  the  game  of  politics,  this  or  that 
measure  of  reform,  are  but  surface  affairs  of  little 
moment .  The  education  of  the  people  is  the  real  under- 
lying work  for  earnest  men  who  would  best  serve  their 
country y'  In  this,  the  most  creditable  work  of  all,  it 
cannot  be  denied  that  the  Republic  occupies  the  first 
place/* 

The  two  following  quotations  contain  the  gist  of 
Andrew  Carnegie's  feeling  about  churches  and  religious 
services : 

''One  hundred  and  fifty  differing  sects  are  found  in 
the  United  States,  each  fortunately  certain  that  it  has 
in  its  bosom  the  truth ;  and  each  has  part  of  the  truth. 
All  truth  is  not  to  be  gathered  in  one  or  all  the  sects. 
It  is  too  vast,  too  all-pervading,  to  be  cabined,  cribbed, 
confined.  As  well  might  one  country  claim  a  monopoly 
of  all  the  air  of  heaven,  as  one  sect  all  the  truth  of 
heaven.     Each  may  have  some,  but  none  can  have  all. 

**  Without  church-rate  or  tithe,  without  State  endow- 
ment or  State  supervision,  religion  in  America  has 
spontaneously  acquired  a  strength  which  no  political 
support  could  have  given.  It  is  a  living  force  entering 
into  the  lives  of  the  people,  and  drawing  them  closer 
together  in  unity  of  feeling,  and  working  silently  and 
without  sign  of  friction  which  in  the  mother  country 
results  from  a  union  with  the  State,  which,  as  we  have 


THE  PEN  OF  A  READY  WRITER       201 

seen,  tends  strongly  to  keep  the  people  divided  one 
from  another.  The  power  of  the  church  in  America 
must  not  be  sought,  as  Burke  said  of  an  ideal  aristoc- 
racy, *in  rotten  parchments,  under  dripping  and  perish- 
ing walls,  but  in  full  vigor,  and  acting  with  vital  energy 
and  power,  in  the  character  of  the  leading  men  and 
natural  interests  of  the  country/  Even  if  judged  by 
the  accommodations  provided,  and  the  sums  spent 
upon  church  organizations,  Democracy  can  safely 
claim  that  of  all  the  divisions  of  English-speaking 
people,  it  has  produced  the  most  religious  community 
yet  known." 

Commerce  is  a  word  spelled  large  in  Mr.  Carnegie's 
vocabulary — commercial  success  is  much  more  to  be 
honored  than  military  glory — ^the  man  who  achieves 
great  things  industrially  is  "greater  than  he  who  taketh 
a  city"  by  force  of  arms. 

**The  United  States  of  America  probably  furnish  the 
jDnly  example  in  the  world's  history  of  a  community 
., purely  industrial  in  origin  and  development.  Every 
other  nation  seems  to  have  passed  through  the  military 
stage.  In  Europe  and  in  Asia,  in  ancient  times  as 
well  as  in  modern,  social  development  has  been  mainly 
the  result  of  war.  Nearly  every  modern  dynasty  in 
Europe  has  been  established  by  conquest,  and  every 
nation  there  has  acquired  and  held  its  territory  by 
force  of  arms.     Men  have  been  as  wild  beasts  slaughter- 


202  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

ing  each  other  at  the  command  of  the  small  privileged 
classes.  The  colonies  of  America,  on  the  other  hand, 
were  established  upon  a  peaceful  basis,  and  the  land 
chiefly  obtained  by  purchase  or  agreement,  and  not 
by  conquest.  Devoted  to  industry,  the  American 
people  have  never  taken  up  the  sword  except  in  self- 
defense  or  in  defense  of  their  institutions." 

"Triumphant  Democracy"  reached  a  circulation  of 
40,000  copies  in  the  first  two  years,  and  it  acquired  an 
added  notoriety  through  the  efforts  of  some  superla- 
tively loyal  persons  to  have  it  suppressed. 

Mr.  Carnegie  has  published  a  dozen  of  his  articles 
imder  the  general  title  of  ''The  Gospel  of  Wealth,"  and 
several  of  them  have  a  direct  bearing  on  the  chief 
chapter.  One  of  the  most  striking  arguments  in  the 
"Gospel"  is  his  contention  that  poverty  is  a  positive 
help  in  the  formation  of  character  and  the  winning 
of  success.  The  following  passage  is  quoted  from 
the  above-mentioned  book  from  "The  Advantages  of 
Poverty": 

^  "Hereditary  wealth  and  position  tend  to  rob  father 
and  mother  of  their  children  and  the  children  of  father 
and  mother.  It  cannot  be  long  ere  their  disadvantages 
are  felt  more  and  more  and  the  advantages  of  plain  and 
simple  living  more  clearly  seen. 

**Poor  boys  reared  thus  directly  by  their  parents 
possess  such   advantages    over   those   watched   and 


THE  PEN  OF  A  READY  WRITER       203 

taught  by  hired  strangers,  and  exposed  to  the  tempta- 
tions of  wealth  and  position,  that  it  is  not  surprising 
they  become  the  leaders  in  every  branch  of  human 
action.  They  appear  upon  the  stage,  athletes  trained 
for  the  contest,  with  sinews  braced,  indomitable  wills, 
resolved  to  do  or  die.  Such  boys  always  have  marched, 
and  always  will  march,  straight  to  the  front  and  lead 
the  world ;  they  are  the  epoch-makers.  Let  one  select 
the  three  or  four  foremost  names,  the  supremely  great 
in  every  field  of  human  triumph,  and  note  how  small 
is  the  contribution  of  hereditary  rank  and  wealth  to 
the  short  list  of  the  immortals  who  have  lifted  and 
advanced  the  race.  It  will,  I  think,  be  seen  that  the 
possession  of  these  is  almost  fatal  to  greatness  and 
goodness,  and  that  the  greatest  and  the  best  of  our 
race  have  necessarily  been  nurtured  in  the  bracing 
school  of  poverty — ^the  only  school  capable  of  pro- 
ducing the  supremely  great,  the  genius." 
/  Mr.  Carnegie's  ideas  about  trusts  aroused  a  great 
deal  of  interest.  He  contends  in  general  that  trusts 
are  inevitable  and  many  of  them  distinctly  beneficial  to 
the  public.  The  following  quotation  is  from  ''Popular 
Illusions  About  Trusts" : 

"If  there  be  in  human  history  one  truth  clearer  and 
more  indisputable  than  another,  it  is  that  the  cheapen- 
ing of  articles,  whether  of  luxury  or  of  necessity  or  of 
those  classed  as  artistic,  insures  their  more  general 


204  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

distribution,  and  is  one  of  the  most  potent  factors  in 
refining  and  lifting  a  people  and  in  adding  to  its  happi- 
ness. In  no  period  of  human  activity  has  this  great 
agency  been  so  potent  or  so  widespread  as  in  oiir  own. 
Now,  the  cheapening  of  all  these  good  things,  whether 
it  be  the  metals,  in  textiles  or  in  food,  or  especially 
in  books  and  prints,  is  rendered  possible  only  through 
the  operation  of  the  law,  which  may  be  stated  thus: 
cheapness  is  in  proportion  to  the  scale  of  production. 
To  make  ten  tons  of  steel  a  day  would  cost  many  times 
as  much  per  ton  as  to  make  one  htmdred  tons ;  to  make 
one  hundred  tons  would  cost  double  as  much  per  ton 
as  a  thousand ;  and  to  make  one  thousand  tons  per  day 
would  cost  greatly  more  than  to  make  ten  thousand 
tons.  Thus,  the  larger  the  scale  of  operation  the 
cheaper  the  product.  The  huge  steamship  of  twenty 
thousand  tons'  burden  ca;rries  its  ton  of  freight  at  less 
cost,  it  is  stated,  than  the  first  steamships  carried 
a  pound.  It  is,  fortunately,  impossible  for  man  to 
impede,  much  less  to  change,  this  great  and  beneficent 
law,  from  which  flow  most  of  his  comforts  and  luxuries, 
and  also  most  of  the  best  and  most  improving  forces 
in  his  life. 

"  In  an  age  noted  for  its  inventions  we  see  the  same 
law  running  through  these.  Inventions  facilitate  big 
operations,  and  in  most  instances,  required  to  be 
worked  upon  a  great  scale.    Indeed,  as  a  rule,  the  great 


THE  PEN  OF  A  READY  WRITER       205 

invention  which  is  beneficent  in  its  operation  would  be 
useless  unless  operated  to  supply  a  thousand  people 
where  ten  were  supplied  before.  Every  agency  in  our 
day  labors  to  scatter  the  good  things  of  life,  both  for 
mind  and  body,  among  the  toiling  millions.  Every- 
where we  look  we  see  the  inexorable  law  ever  produc- 
ing bigger  and  bigger  things.  One  of  the  most  notable 
illustrations  of  this  is  seen  in  the  railway  freight  car. 
When  the  writer  entered  the  service  of  the  Pennsyl- 
vania Railroad  from  seven  to  eight  tons  were  carried 
upon  eight  wheels ;  to-day  they  carry  fifty  tons.  The 
locomotive  has  quadrupled  in  power.  The  steamship 
to-day  is  ten  times  bigger,  the  blast-furnace  has  seven 
times  more  capacity,  and  the  tendency  everywhere 
is  still  to  increase.  The  contrast  between  the  hand 
printing  press  of  old  and  the  elaborate  newspaper 
printing  machine  of  to-day  is  even  more  marked.  '* 

Mr.  Carnegie  has  to  say  of  the  relations  of  employer 
and  employee  as  follows : 

"  It  is  the  chairman,  situated  hundreds  of  miles  away 
from  his  men,  who  only  pays  a  flying  visit  to  the  works 
and  perhaps  finds  time  to  walk  through  the  mill  or 
mine  once  or  twice  a  year,  that  is  chiefly  responsible 
for  the  disputes  which  break  out  at  intervals.  I  have 
noted  that  the  manager  who  confers  oftenest  with  a 
committee  of  his  leading  men  has  the  least  trouble 
with  his  workmen.     Although  it  may  be  impracticable 


2o6  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

for  the  presidents  of  these  large  corporations  to  know 
the  workingmen  personally,  the  manager  at  the  mills, 
having  a  committee  of  his  best  men  to  present  their 
suggestions  and  wishes  from  time  to  time,  can  do  much 
to  maintain  and  strengthen  amicable  relations,  if  not 
interfered  with  from  headquarters.  I,  therefore, 
recognize  in  trades  unions,  or  better  still,  in  the 
organizations  of  the  men  in  each  establishment,  who 
select  representatives  to  speak  for  them,  a  means,  not 
of  further  embittering  the  relations  between  employer 
and  employed,  but  of  improving  them. " 

Mr.  Carnegie's  latest  book,"The  Empire  of  Business," 
may  be  called  a  book  of  inspiration ;  it  has  a  distinctly 
optimistic  tone,  and  almost  every  chapter  expresses 
the  hopeful,  cheerful  disposition  which  is  character- 
istic of  its  author.  In  this  latest  book  Mr.  Carnegie's 
well-known  opinions  about  the  uses  of  wealth,  the 
advantages  of  poverty  and  the  relations  of  capital  and 
labor  are  clearly  expressed.  Beside  these  subjects 
Mr.  Carnegie  writes  interestingly  about  such  things 
as  steel  manufacture,  oil  and  gas  wells,  and  railroads, 
about  which  he  is  a  recognized  authority. 

In  "The  A  B  C  of  Money"  Mr.  Carnegie  has  given 
a  remarkably  clear  idea  of  the  whole  money  question. 
The  following  gives  the  reason  for  money  in  a  nutshell. 

"To  get  at  the  root  of  the  subject  you  must  know, 
first,  why  money  exists;  secondly,  what  money  really 


THE  PEN  OF  A  READY  WRITER       207 

is.  Let  me  try  to  tell  you,  taking  a  new  district  of  our 
own  modem  country  to  illustrate  how  'money*  comes. 
In  times  past,  when  the  people  only  tilled  the  soil,  and 
commerce  and  manufactures  had  not  developed,  men 
had  few  wants,  and  so  they  got  along  without  'money* 
by  exchanging  the  articles  themselves  when  they 
needed  something  which  they  had  not.  The  farmer 
who  wanted  a  pair  of  shoes  gave  so  many  bushels  of 
com  for  them,  and  his  wife  bought  her  stm-bonnet  by 
giving  so  many  bushels  of  potatoes ;  thus  all  sales  and 
purchases  were  made  by  exchanging  articles — ^by 
barter. 

"As  population  grew  and  wants  extended,  this  plan 
became  very  inconvenient.  One  man  in  the  district 
then  started  a  general  store  and  kept  on  hand  a  great 
many  of  the  things  which  were  most  wanted,  and  took 
for  these  any  of  the  articles  which  the  farmer  had  to 
give  in  exchange.  This  was  a  great  step  in  advance, 
for  the  farmer  who  wanted  half  a  dozen  different  things 
when  he  went  to  the  village  had  then  no  longer  to 
search  for  half  a  dozen  different  people  who  wanted 
one  or  more  of  the  things  he  had  to  offer  in  exchange. 
He  could  now  go  directly  to  one  man,  the  storekeeper, 
and  for  any  of  his  agricultural  products  he  could  get 
most  of  the  articles  he  desired.  It  did  not  matter  to 
the  storekeeper  whether  he  gave  the  farmer  tea  or 
coffee,  blankets  or  a  hayrake;  nor  did  it  matter  what 


2o8  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

articles  he  took  from  the  farmer,  wheat  or  com  or 
potatoes,  so  he  could  send  them  away  to  the  city  and 
get  other  articles  for  them  which  he  wanted.  The 
farmer  could  even  pay  the  wages  of  his  hired  men  by 
giving  them  orders  for  articles  upon  the  store.  No 
dollars  appear  here  yet,  you  see;  all  is  still  barter — 
exchange  of  articles;  very  inconvenient  and  very 
costly,  because  the  agricultural  articles  given  in  ex- 
change had  to  be  hauled  about  and  were  always 
changing  their  value." 

The  author  stands  for  a  gold  standard,  of  course.  He 
closes  his  article  on  the  subject  of  money  with  the 
following  earnest  summing  up : 

"I  have  written  in  vain  if  this  paper  does  not  do 
something  to  explain  why  this  is  so,  and  to  impel  the 
people  to  let  their  representatives  in  Congress  clearly 
understand  that,  come  what  may,  the  stamp  of  the 
republic  must  be  made  true,  the  money  of  the  Ameri- 
can people  kept  the  highest  and  stirest  in  value  of  all 
money  in  the  world,  above  all  doubt  or  suspicion,  its 
standard  in  the  future,  as  in  the  past,  not  fluctuating 
silver,  but  unchanging  gold." 

Andrew  Carnegie  has  been  called  a  "slave  driver," 
and  it  has  been  said  that  his  workmen  have  been  driven 
unwarrantably.  The  facts  in  the  case  disprove  this, 
and  his  writings  show  that  he  looked  at  things  from 
the  workman's  point  of  view  as  well  as  that  of  the 


THE  PEN  OF  A  READY  WRITER       209 

employer.  The  following  quotations  from  two  chap- 
ters of  "The  Empire  of  Business"  show  his  attitude 
toward  the  question  of  capital  and  labor : 

*Tt  is  very  unfortunate  that  the  irresistible  tend- 
ency of  our  age,  which  draws  manufacturing  into 
immense  establishments,  requiring  the  work  of  thou- 
sands of  men,  renders  it  impossible  for  employers 
who  reside  near  to  obtain  that  intimate  acquaintance 
with  employes  which,  under  the  old  system  of  manu- 
facturing in  very  small  establishments,  made  the  re- 
lation of  master  and  man  more  pleasing  to  both. 

"  When  articles  were  manufactured  in  small  shops  by 
employers  who  required  only  the  assistance  of  a  few 
men  and  apprentices,  the  employer  had  opportunities 
to  know  every  one,  to  become  well  acquainted  with 
each,  and  to  know  his  merits  both  as  a  man  and  as  a 
workman ;  and  on  the  other  hand  the  workman,  being 
brought  into  closer  contact  with  his  employer,  in- 
evitably knew  more  of  his  business,  of  his  cares  and 
troubles,  of  his  efforts  to  succeed,  and  more  important 
than  all,  they  came  to  know  something  of  the  charac- 
teristics of  the  man  himself.     All  this  is  changed. 

"  Thus  the  employes  become  more  like  htmian  ma- 
chines, as  it  were,  to  the  employer,  and  the  employer 
becomes  almost  a  myth  to  his  men.  From  every 
point  of  view  this  is  a  most  regrettable  result,  yet  it  is 
one  for  which  I  see  no  remedy.     The  free  play  of 


fio  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

economic  laws  is  forcing  the  manufacture  of  all  articles 
of  general  consumption  more  and  more  into  the  hands 
of  a  few  enormous  concerns,  that  their  cost  to  the  con- 
sumer may  be  less." 

"It  being  therefore  impossible  for  the  employers  of 
thousands  to  become  acquainted  with  their  men,  if  we 
are  not  to  lose  all  feeling  of  mutuality  between  us,  the 
employer  must  seek  their  acquaintance  through  other 
forms,  to  express  his  care  for  the  well-being  of  those 
upon  whose  labor  he  depends  for  success,  by  devoting 
part  of  his  earnings  for  institutions  like  this  library, 
and  for  the  accommodation  of  their  organizations,  and 
I  hope  in  return  that  the  employes  are  to  show  by  the 
use  which  they  make  of  such  benefactions  that  they  in 
turn  respond  to  this  sentiment  upon  the  part  of  em- 
ployers wherever  it  may  be  found. 

"By  such  means  as  these  we  may  hope  to  maintain 
to  some  extent  the  old  feeling  of  kindliness,  mutual 
confidence,  respect  and  esteem  which  formerly  dis- 
tinguished the  relations  between  the  employer  and 
his  men." 

"The  great  inventions,  the  improvements,  the  dis- 
coveries in  science,  the  great  works  in  literature  have 
sprung  from  the  ranks  of  the  poor.  You  can  scarcely 
name  a  great  invention  or  a  great  discovery,  you  can 
scarcely  name  a  great  picture  or  a  great  statue,  a 
great  song  or  a  great  story,  nor  anything  great,  that 


THE  PEN  OF  A  READY  WRITER       211 

has  not  been  the  product  of  men  who  started  like  your- 
selves to  earn  an  honest  living  by  honest  work. 

"And,  believe  me,  the  man  whom  the  foreman  does 
not  appreciate,  and  the  foreman  whom  the  manager 
does  not  appreciate,  and  the  manager  whom  the  firm 
does  not  appreciate,  has  to  find  the  fault  not  in  the 
firm,  or  the  manager,  or  the  foreman,  but  in  himself. 
He  cannot  give  the  service  that  which  is  so  invaluable 
and  so  anxiously  looked  for.  There  is  no  man  who 
may  not  rise  to  the  highest  position,  nor  is  tjiere  any 
man  who,  from  lack  of  the  right  qualities  or  failure  to 
exercise  them,  may  not  sink  to  the  lowest.  Employes 
have  chances  to  rise  to  higher  work,  to  rise  to  foremen, 
to  be  superintendents,  and  even  to  rise  to  be  partners, 
and  even  to  be  chairmen  in  our  service,  if  they  prove 
themselves  possessed  of  the  qualities  required.  They 
need  never  fear  being  dispensed  with.  It  is  we  who 
fear  that  the  abilities  of  such  nien  may  be  lost  to  us.'\ 

The  following  from  "The  Three-Legged  Stool" 
shows  that  Mr.  Carnegie  places  labor  on  the  same 
plane  with  capital  and  business  ability. 

"There  is  a  partnership  of  three  in  the  industrial 
world  when  an  enterprise  is  planned.  The  first  of 
these,  not  in  importance  but  in  time,  is  Capital.  With- 
out it  nothing  costly  can  be  built.  From  it  comes 
the  first  breath  of  life  into  matter,  previously  inert. 

**  The  structures  reared,  equipped  and  ready  to  begin 


2 1 2  ADNREW  CARNEGIE 

in  any  line  of  industrial  activity,  the  second  partner 
comes  into  operation.  That  is  Business  Ability. 
Capital  has  done  its  part.  It  has  provided  all  the 
,  instrumentalities  of  production ;  but  unless  it  can  com- 
mand the  services  of  able  men  to  manage  the  business, 
all  that  Capital  has  done  crumbles  into  ruin. 

"Then  comes  the  third  partner,  last  in  order  of  time 
but  not  least,  Labor.  If  it  fails  to  perform  its  part, 
nothing  can  be  accomplished.  Capital  and  Business 
Ability,  without  it  brought  into  play,  are  dead.  The 
wheels  cannot  revolve  unless  the  hand  of  Labor  starts 
them. 

**  Now,  volumes  can  be  written  as  to  which  one  of  the 
three  partners  is  first,  second  or  third  in  importance, 
and  the  subject  will  remain  just  as  it  was  before.     Po- 
litical economists,  speculative  philosophers  and  preach- 
ers have  been  giving  their  views  on  the  subject  for 
hundreds  of  years,  but  the  answer  has  not  yet  been 
found,  nor  can  it  ever  be,  because  each  of  the  three 
is  all-important,   and  every  one  is  equally  essential 
to  the  other  two.     There  is  no  first,  second  or  last. 
C     There  is  no  precedence !    They  are  equal  members  of 
■'    the  great  triple  alliance  which  moves  the  industrial 
(    world.     As  a  matter  of  history,  Labor  existed  before 
Capital  or  Business  Ability,  for  when  *  Adam  digged 
and  Eve  span '  Adam  had  no  capital,  and  if  one  may 
judge  from  the  sequel,  neither  of  the  two  was  inordi- 


THE  PEN  OF  A  READY  WRITER        213 

nately  blessed  with  business  ability ;  but  this  was  before 
the  reign  of  Industrialism  began  and  huge  investments 
of  Capital  were  necessary. 

"  In  our  day  Capital,  Business  Ability,  Manual  Labor  } 
are  the  legs  of  a  three-legged  stool.  While  the  three 
legs  stand  sound  and  firm,  the  stool  stands ;  but  let  any 
one  of  the  three  weaken  and  break,  let  it  be  pulled  out 
or  struck  out,  down  goes  the  stool  to  the  groimd.  And 
the  stool  is  of  no  use  until  the  third  leg  is  restored." 

The  author  of  *The  Gospel  of  Wealth"  considers 
thrift  an  evidence  of  civilization :  the  following  from  his 
essay,  "Thrift": 

*  'The  importance  of  the  subject  is  suggested  by  the 
fact  that  the  habit  of  thrift  constitutes  one  of  the 
greatest  differences  between  the  savage  and  the  civil- 
ized man.  One  of  the  fundamental  differences  be- 
tween savage  and  civilized  life  is  the  absence  of  thrift 
in  the  one  and  the  presence  of  it  in  the  other.  When 
millions  of  men  each  save  a  little  of  their  daily  earn- 
ings, these  petty  sums  combined  make  an  enormous 
amount,  which  is  called  capital,  about  which  so  much 
is  written.  If  men  consumed  each  day  of  each  week 
all  they  earned,  as  does  the  savage,  of  course  there 
would  be  no  capital — that  is,  no  savings  laid  up  for 
future  use. 

Now,  let  us  see  what  capital  does  in  the  world.  We 
will   consider  what  the    shipbuilders   do   when  they 


214  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

have  to  build  great  ships.  These  enterprising  com- 
panies offer  to  build  an  ocean  greyhound  for,  let  us 
say,  £500,000,  to  be  paid  only  when  the  ship  is  de- 
livered after  satisfactory  trial  trips.  Where  or  how 
do  the  shipbuilders  get  this  sum  of  money  to  pay  the 
workmen,  the  wood  merchant,  the  steel  manufacturer, 
and  all  the  people  who  furnish  material  for  the  build- 
ing of  the  ship  ?  They  get  it  from  the  savings  of  civil- 
ized men.  It  is  part  of  the  money  saved  for  invest- 
ment by  the  millions  of  industrious  people.  Each 
man,  by  thrift,  saves  a  little,  puts  the  money  in  a 
bank,  and  the  bank  lends  it  to  the  shipbuilders,  who 
pay  interest  for  the  use  of  it.  It  is  the  same  with  the 
building  of  a  manufactory,  a  railroad,  a  canal,  or  any- 
thing costly.  We  could  not  have  had  anything  more 
than  the  savage  had,  except  for  thrift.*' 

Mr.  Carnegie  is  an  orator  as  well  as  an  author.  His 
speeches  have  a  fine  literary  flavor,  and  are  always 
distinguished  by  sound  common-sense  argument  and 
logical  reasoning.  He  is  fertile  in  ideas  and  felicitous 
in  expression,  and  speaks  with  a  clear,  telling  voice, 
enforcing  his  points  with  graceful  gesture. 


Obiter  Dicta 


I 


CHAPTER  XII 

OBITER   DICTA 

AM  now  entirely  out  of  business,  and  nothing  could 
tempt  me  to  return."  Mr.  Carnegie  had  always 
intended  to  retire  from  business  as  soon  after  sixty  as 
possible,  and  to  spend  the  eventide  of  his  life  in  "rest, 
recreation  and  philanthropy."  The  formation  of  the 
colossal  Steel  Trust,  with  a  capital  of  $1,100,000,000, 
having  afforded  him  the  desired  opporttmity  to  dis- 
pose of  his  vast  interests,  the  Steel  King  handed  over 
his  possessions,  took  up  his  $250,000,000  in  five  per 
cent,  bonds  and  surplus  before  invested,  and  was  free. 
The  whole  world  was  open  to  him,  but  he  fulfilled 
universal  expectations  by  electing  to  return  to  his 
native  land  and  spend  at  least  the  simimers  of  the 
remaining  years  of  his  life  amongst  the  mountain 
and  moor,  and  the  heather  and  loch,  of  "Bonnie 
Scotland." 

At  the  time  when  his  father  became  a  naturalized 
American  Andrew  was  a  minor,  and  consequently  in 
due  course  he  stepped  into  the  rights  and  privileges, 
which  he  values  so  highly,  of  a  full-fledged  citizen  of 
the  United  States.  It  is  therefore  only  fitting  that,  as 
his  country  seat  is  in  Scotland,  his  town  residence 

217 


2i8  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

should  be  in  America.  The  palace  on  Fifth  Avenue, 
New  York,  which  he  has  built  for  his  own  use,  is  in  all 
ways  a  dwelling-place  worthy  of  a  rich  man.  Mr. 
Carnegie,  however,  true  to  his  democratic  principles, 
gave  instructions  when  the  plans  were  being  prepared 
that  the  chief  consideration  should  be  "beauty,  sim- 
plicity and  comfort."  He  recognized  that  his  new 
residence,  from  its  size  and  the  extent  of  its  grounds, 
must  be  a  conspicuous  object,  but  he  deprecated 
unnecessary  magnificence  or  useless  display,  and  conse- 
quently his  mansion  is  not  so  pretentious  as  many 
others  in  that  city  of  millionaires.  The  material  used 
in  its  construction  was  Indiana  limestone  and  Harvard 
brick;  the  decorations  are  in  marble,  onyx  and  bronze. 
Mr.  Carnegie  will,  no  doubt,  reside  in  New  York  during 
some  portions  of  the  year,  but  his  absence  from  his 
beautiful  retreat  in  the  North  of  Scotland  will  not  be 
of  long  duration.  For  many  years  he  rented  Cluny 
castle  as  his  Scottish  residence,  but  in  1895,  hearing 
that  Skibo  castle  was  in  the  market,  he  instantly  made 
inquiries  about  it,  and  was  told  that,  although  situated 
at  the  extreme  North  of  Scotland,  it  enjoyed  a  beautiful 
climate,  remarkably  free  from  rawness,  and  exceed- 
ingly healthy. 

He  promptly  secured  the  option  to  purchase  it  for 
$425,000,  and  was  only  just  in  time,  as  the  trustees 
received  three  other  offers  a  week  later.     In  due  course 


OBITER  DICTA  219 

he  entered  into  possession  of  his  estate,  and  upon  his 
arrival  at  his  new  home  he  met  with  an  enthusiastic 
reception  from  the  tenantry,  who  presented  him  with 
an  address  of  welcome,  and  a  flag  bearing  the  inscrip- 
tion: "Presented  to  Andrew  Carnegie,  Esquire,  by 
his  tenants,  crofters  and  feuars,  on  the  occasion  of  his 
homecoming  as  the  proprietor  of  Skibo. ' '  Mr.  Carnegie 
made  a  characteristic  reply,  in  which  he  said  that 
this  was  his  first  experience  of  entering  a  large  resi- 
dential estate  as  its  owner.  The  best  title-deed  to  the 
land,  and  the  best  key  to  the  castle,  he  added,  would 
be  the  knowledge  that  he  "possessed  the  hearts  of 
his  people." 

Mr.  Carnegie  at  once  proceeded  to  overhaul  the  old 
castle,  and  drew  up  plans  for  comprehensive  alterations. 
It  was  found  necessary  to  demolish  about  half  of  it 
condemned  as  unsafe,  and  to  make  extensive  altera- 
tions throughout.  A  new  wing,  was  added  to  provide 
more  accommodation,  the  whole  of  the  extensions  and 
alterations  being  carried  out  on  the  most  modem 
lines.  The  interior  of  the  castle  was  entirely  redeco- 
rated and  refurnished,  and  a  spacious  library  designed 
for  the  literary  tastes  of  the  new  owner.  The  hall  is  of 
noble  dimensions,  and  leading  from  it  is  a  staircase 
of  white  Sicilian  marble.  The  library  contains  4,000 
books. 

The  principal  actor  in  the  ceremony  of  laying  the 


220  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

comer-stone  of  the  new  wing  was  Miss  Margaret 
Carnegie,  the  owner's  little  daughter.  In  returning 
thanks  for  the  gift  of  a  trowel,  with  which  the  little 
maiden  performed  the  ceremony,  Mr.  Carnegie  said  that 
* 'every  year  of  his  life  confirmed  him  in  the  opinion  that 
the  greatest  work  men  and  women  could  perform  was  to 
establish  on  earth  happy,  virtuous,  refined  and  earnest 
homes.  The  gift  would  be  the  most  treasured  heir- 
loom of  his  daughter,  and  would  teach  her  that  any 
wealth  and  advantages  that  she  might  possess  carried 
with  them  corresponding  responsibilities."  When  his 
little  girl  was  bom  the  papers  proclaimed  her  the 
heiress  of  millions.  Commenting  upon  this  report,  Mr. 
Carnegie  said,'  'My  wife  and  daughter  shall  not  be  cursed 
with  great  wealth.  Wealth  can  only  bring  happiness 
in  the  sense  that  it  brings  us  greater  opportunities  of 
making  others  happy.  The  truest  happiness  is  to 
make  others  happy."  Mrs.  Carnegie  has  herself  no 
desire  to  inherit  millions. 

The  fireside  circle  at  Skibo  is  composed  of  Mr. 
Carnegie,  his  wife  and  daughter,  and  a  sister  of  Mrs. 
Carnegie.  The  hostess  is  an  American  lady  who  has 
made  herself  beloved  by  all  who  have  met  her.  .^Mrs. 
Cgrnegie,  who  is  twenty  years  younger  than  her  hus- 
band, throws  her  heart  and  soul  into  all  his  schemes, 
and  it  is  to  her  that  he  first  turns  for  advice.  She  is 
consulted  upon  the  management  of  his  business  affairs 


OBITER  DICTA  221 

and  public  benefactions,  and  upon  her  womanly  wisdom 
and  far-seeing  judgment  his  decision  is  often  founded. 
Charming,  vivacious  and  clever,  Mrs.  Carnegie  is  a 
model  hostess,  but  she  prefers  to  be  regarded  simply 
as  the  mistress  of  Skibo,  and  not  as  a  person  of  public 
interest.  She  does  not  court  the  attention  of  the 
^'personal  paragraphist,"  and  shuns  that  prying  indi- 
vidual, "the  interviewer." 

Mr.  Carnegie's  home  could  not  be  otherwise  than 
the  centre  of  happiness,  and  it  is  made  still  more  radiant 
with  the  joy  of  the  presence  of  a  sparkling  jewel  which 
is  very  dear  to  Mr.  Carnegie's  heart.  When  his  little 
daughter  was  bom  Mr.  Carnegie  said  he  had  now 
everything  in  the  world  his  heart  desired. 

Skibo  castle  is  situated  on  the  northern  shore  of  the 
Dornoch  Firth,  Sutherlandshire,  in  the  midst  of  a 
romantic  district,  surroimded  with  a  halo  of  tradition 
and  teeming  with  innumerable  legends.  It  has  a  high 
elevation,  about  half  a  mile  from  tidal  water,  and 
is  sheltered  from  the  northern  winds  by  hills  and 
woods,  while  from  its  windows  a  magnificent  panorama 
of  mountain  and  loch  stretches  southward.  The 
grounds  are  extensive  and  beautifully  laid  out.  The 
estate  extends  many  miles  inland  from  the  firth,  and 
includes  hundreds  of  acres  of  brown  heath  and  shaggy 
wood,  over  which  Mr.  Carnegie's  guests  enjoy  as  good 
grouse  shooting  as  is  to  be  found  in  Scotland. 


2  2  2  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

In  the  park  half  a  mile  from  the  house  lie  the  golf 
links,  in  which  Mr.  Carnegie  takes  such  keen  delight. 
During  recent  years  they  have  been  considerably 
developed  and  improved,  until  they  are  now  one  of 
the  finest  courses  in  the  country.  Mr.  Carnegie  is  an 
enthusiast,  and  no  mean  exponent  of  the  royal  game. 
Every  visitor  to  Skibo  inspects  the  golf  links,  and 
nothing  pleases  the  genial  host  more  than  for  his  guests 
to  accompany  him  for  a  run  over  the  long  stretch  of 
heather.  He  once  said  to  a  friend  who  was  playing  a 
game  with  him,  and  who  had  happened  to  make  a  long 
drive  off  the  tee,  that  for  the  joy  of  making  one  such 
drive  the  payment  of  $io,ooo  would  be  cheap. 

Mr.  Carnegie  is  nearly  as  zealous  in  the  pursuit  of 
his  other  sport,  but  unlike  most  fishermen,  he  does  not 
go  simply  to  display  his  patience,  for  the  streams  he  has 
resort  to  are  filled  with  salmon  and  trout.  The  Laird 
of  Skibo  is  also  very  fond  of  coaching,  and  by  this 
means  he  has  traveled  many  hundreds  of  miles  both 
in  Britain  and  America.  A  splendid  sailor  and  an 
intense  lover  of  the  sea,  he  is  never  so  happy  as  when 
being  tossed  in  his  beautifully  equipped  yacht,  The 
Seabreeze^  in  which,  when  he  is  staying  at  Skibo,  he 
takes  frequent  cruises.  The  frolics  of  King  Neptune 
seem  to  harmonize  with  his  nature  and  bring  into  play 
all  his  youthful  spirits  and  enthusiasm.  He  says : 
*'To  him  who  finds  himself  comfortable  at  sea,  the 


OBITER  DICTA  223 

ocean  is  the  grandest  of  treats.  He  never  fails  to  feel 
himself  a  boy  again  while  on  the  waves.  There  is  an 
exaltation  about  it.  He  walks  the  monarch  of  the 
peopled  deck,  glories  in  the  storm,  rises  with  it,  and 
revels  in  it.  Heroic  song  comes  to  him.  The  ship 
becomes  a  Hving  thing,  and  if  the  monster  rears  and 
plunges  it  is  akin  to  bounding  on  his  thoroughbred 
who  knows  its  rider.  Many  feel  thus,  and  I  am  happily 
one  of  them." 

Mr.  Carnegie  has  a  wide  circle  of  friends,  and  many 
prominent  public  men  have  enjoyed  the  hospitality  of 
Skibo  since  he  became  its  owner.  He  is  very  proud 
of  his  Highland  castle,  which  he  once  described  as 
*'his  earthly  paradise,"  and  nothing  gives  him  greater 
pleasure  than  to  welcome  his  friends  and  point  out 
to  them  the  natural  beauties  of  the  surrounding 
district. 

Mr.  Carnegie  is  greatly  respected  by  his  tenants, 
who  find  in  him  an  ideal  landlord.  He  has  instituted 
a  number  of  reforms,  and  takes  a  deep  interest  in  their 
home  life  and  daily  work.  It  is  not  an  uncommon 
sight,  when  he  is  at  Skibo,  to  see  him  engaged  in  a  pro- 
longed discussion  with  some  old  son  of  the  soil,  and  he 
owns  that  he  often  emerges  from  the  wordy  conflict 
but  "second  best."  From  the  old  castle  tower  an 
immense  double  flag — the  Union  Jack  and  Stars  and 
Stripes— floats  in  the  breeze.     A  friend  describing  a 


224  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

visit  he  paid  to  Mr.  Carnegie  in  his  Highland  home, 
says,  *'Mr.  Carnegie  keeps  his  own  piper,  and  every 
morning  the  inmates  are  wakened  by  the  shrill  music 
of  the  Highlands.  Before  dinner  the  same  bagpipes 
serve  as  the  substitute  for  the  dinner  bell,  and  the 
piper  marches  to  the  dining-room,  followed  by  the 
guests." 

Life  in  Skibo  resembles  that  in  most  Highland 
castles.  The  hall  is  littered  with  books  and  news- 
papers, both  British  and  American,  but  a  special  feature 
is  the  organ,  on  which  every  morning  before  breakfast 
sweet  music  is  discoursed.  It  is  Mr.  Camegie^s  substi- 
tute for  family  prayers,  and  but  the  beginning  of  the 
musical  service  with  which  he  hopes  in  time  to  salute 
each  smiling  mom. 

In  personal  appearance  Mr.  Carnegie  is  a  short, 
sprightly  man,  about  five  feet  six  inches  in  height, 
with  an  erect  bearing,  keen  gray  eyes,  broad  forehead 
and  powerful  jaw.  His  temperament  is  buoyant  and 
youthful,  and  his  physical  endurance  and  ready  inter- 
est are  remarkable.  His  hair  has  now  turned  gray,  but 
that  is  the  only  indication  of  advancing  years.  He 
was  blessed  with  a  sound  constitution,  and  this,  added 
to  the  fact  that  he  eschewed  the  vices  of  youth  and 
followed  the  path  of  manly  rectitude  and  healthy 
recreation,  has  largely  contributed  to  his  success.  Mr. 
Carnegie  is  a  non-smoker,  and  exceedingly  abstemious 


OBITER  DICTA  225 

in  his  habits.  Moderation  in  all  things  has  character- 
ized his  mode  of  living,  and  to  this  must  be  attributed 
his  wonderful  vitality  of  mind  and  body,  which  is 
superior  to  that  possessed  by  many  men  half  his  age. 
Like  Mr.  Gladstone,  the  grand  old  man  of  the  nineteenth 
century,  whom  he  so  reverently  admired,  Mr.  Carnegie 
possesses  the  precious  quality  of  being  able  to  fall 
asleep  at  will,  and  in  the  short  intervals  between  the 
stress  of  business  he  has  a  habit  of  dropping  off  into  a 
refreshing  slumber. 

The  retired  capitalist  speaks  rather  slowly  and 
clearly  entmciates  every  word.  The  maxim,  "Think 
twice  before  you  speak  once,"  has  great  weight  with 
him.  He  is  not  one  to  be  led  unawares  into  making 
a  promise  or  expressing  an  opinion.  He  regards  his 
interrogator  with  a  keen  look  from  his  brilliant,  shrewd, 
piercing  eyes  that  seem  to  penetrate  one's  very  mind ; 
then,  even  if  it  be  merely  a .  commonplace,  he  will 
answer  in  his  deliberate  way,  clearly  impressing  his 
meaning  upon  his  hearers.  His  face  is  a  study  in 
character.  His  large,  penetrating  eyes,  broad  fore- 
head and  square  chin  stamp  him  as  a  man  of  com- 
mercial foresight,  intellectual  strength  and  strong  will 
power.  His  features,  though  prominently  marked,  are 
not  harsh  in  outline,  or  they  would  belie  the  genial 
blood  which  courses  through  his  veins.  Smiles  are  far 
more  fashionable  with  Mr.  Carnegie  than  scowls,  though 


226  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

at  times  he  can  look  austere.  He  prefers  optimism's 
blue  skies  to  pessimism's  dark  caverns,  and  is  always 
willing  to  exchange  a  joke  or  initiate  a  discussion. 
He  is  a  clever  conversationalist,  with  a  ready  com- 
mand of  reliable  information  and  a  good  stock  of 
stories  drawn  from  his  personal  experience.  His 
vocabulary  is  not  limited,  either,  and  when  satisfied 
that  his  views  are  just  he  is  not  easily  dislodged  from 
his  position.  He  has  conversed  with  the  great  men  of 
England  and  America,  and  wherever  he  goes  he  leaves 
the  impression  of  a  strongly  welded  character  and 
a  well-balanced  mind. 

In  sharp  contrast  to  his  speech,  his  manner  is  very 
restless  and  indicative  of  a  large  reserve  of  pent-up 
energy.  All  who  have  come  in  contact  with  the  man 
have  been  impressed  with  his  strong  character  and 
conspicuous  ability.  Ian  Maclaren  says  of  him,  that 
the  first  time  they  met  he  felt  instinctively  that  **an 
able-bodied,  able-minded,  fully  equipped  and  well- 
finished  man  was  there."  Although  short  in  stature, 
Mr.  Carnegie  has  a  large  head,  and  imlike  the  brain 
that  has  amassed  his  millions,  the  hand  that  signs 
them  away  is  small. 

His  office  in  his  home,  where  he  transacts  his  business, 
is  fitted  up  with  every  convenience.  His  reservoir 
of  information  is  a  big  chest  of  drawers,  and  each  one 
is  devoted  to  a  separate  object.     Every  drawer  has 


OBITER   DICTA  227 

affixed  to  it  a  label,  such  as  "The  Carnegie  Steel  Com- 
pany's Reports,  etc.,  etc.,"  "Correspondence  about 
Libraries,"  "Grants,  and  Other  Donations,"  "Appli- 
cations for  Aid,"  "Autograph  Letters  to  Keep,"  "Pub- 
lication Articles,"  "Skibo  Estate,"  "Pittsburgh  Insti- 
tute." The  indispensable  typewriter  is  there  as  a 
matter  of  course,  and  hanging  on  the  wall  are  a  num- 
ber of  maps  dotted  with  little  flags  to  denote  where  the 
scene  of  action  for  the  moment  lies.  Apart  from  an 
avalanche  of  wordy  epistles,  he  has  a  large  amount  of 
business  to  transact,  but  he  has  an  excellent  system 
of  rapid  working,  and  with  his  capable  secretary,  Mr. 
James  Bertram,  he  manages  to  accomplish  his  daily 
duties  without  seriously  curtailing  his  leistire. 

The  Laird  of  Skibo  is  an  omnivorous  reader,  and 
keeps  himself  thoroughly  well  informed  on  current 
affairs.  Every  day  he  reads  half  a  dozen  newspapers, 
and  he  digests  a  number  of  weeklies  and  all  the  impor- 
tant monthly  reviews  and  magazines.  Quick  to  single 
out  what  interests  him,  he  ignores  the  rest.  Of  more 
soHd  literature  he  has  read  widely,  and  has  a  natural 
taste  for  the  best  writings  of  all  ages.  Shakespeare 
and  Burns  are  his  special  favorites,  and  he  pays  each 
his  daily  homage  by  reading  some  portion  of  their 
works. 

As  his  book,  "Round  the  World,"  proves,  Mr. 
Carnegie  has  traveled  widely,  and  to  some  purpose. 


228  ANDREW  CARNEGIE 

He  has  crossed  the  Atlantic  more  than  sixty  times, 
and  made  expeditions  to  the  North  Cape,  China,  Japan, 
and  Mexico.  These  extensive  travels  have  widened 
the  horizon  of  his  thought  and  enriched  his  experience. 
His  course  through  life  has  admirably  fitted  him  for  the 
great  and  responsible  task  he  has  set  himself  to  fulfil. 
It  can  be  truthfully  said  that,  take  him  all  in  all,  there 
is  no  living  person  better  fitted  than  himself  to  dis- 
tribute his  wealth  wisely. 

The  task  seems  almost  superhuman  in  its  vastness, 
as  every  gift  will  be  preceded  by  much  thought  and 
careful  inquiry.  Mr.  Carnegie  could  give  his  forttme 
away  at  once,  but  one  thing  is  certain,  that  no  part  of 
his  wealth  will  be  squandered  in  hasty  and  ill-advised 
gifts.  If  he  kept  his  capital  intact,  which  is  most 
unlikely,  and  distributed  his  income  alone  in  bene- 
factions, he  would  be  able  to  give  away  over  $35,000 
every  day,  or  $13,750,000  per  annum. 

But  no  one  knows  through  what  channels  Mr. 
Carnegie's  wealth  will  flow,  for  he  is  not  given  to  adver- 
tising his  plans  on  the  housetops  before  they  are  ready 
to  be  put  in  operation.  Let  it  suffice  us  to  know  that 
he  will  fulfil  his  promise,  and  let  us  be  thankful  that 
such  a  vast  agency  for  good  is  in  the  hands  of  a  man 
actuated  by  the  highest  principles  and  the  noblest 
ideals. 


INDEX 


Adams  Express  Company,  in- 
vestment in,  2  2 

Allegheny,  Mr.  Carnegie's  gift 
to,  159 

America,  Mr.  Carnegie's  love 
for,  187 

American  Civil  War,  25 

competition,  37 

employer,  70-73 

progress,  106 

workmen,  62,  64,  73,  81 

workmen,  sobriety  of,  124 

"An  American  Four-in-Hand  in 
Britain,"  186,  194 

Anderson,  Colonel,  156 

Anglo-American  reunion,  106- 
108 

Aristocracy,  Mr.  Carnegie  and, 
6,  64,  95 

Balfour,  A.  J.,  169 

Bannerman,  Sir.  H.  Campbell, 
169 

Beaconsfield,  Lord,  95-96 

Bemis,  Professor,  on  Homestead 
Strike,  85 

Benefactions,  object  worthy  of, 
145-146 

Bessemer  process,'  35,  38 

Birmingham  Free  Library,  pre- 
sentation to,  98 

University,    gift   to,    120- 

122,   163-164 

Books,  Mr.  Carnegie  and,  181 

Braddock  Steel  Works,  strike 
at,  78,  80 

Bright,  John,  97 

British- American  union,  108 

manufacturer ,  114,  126 

trade,  113 

British  workman,  69 

Browning  quoted,  105 

Bruce,  Robert,  3 

Bryan,  Mr.  Carnegie's  opposi- 
tion to,  lor 


Bryce,  Mr.,  169 
Bums,  4,  227 

Carnegie,  his  birth,  3;  educa- 
tion, 4;  school  life,  4;  devo- 
tion to  his  mother,  7,  8;  his 
father,  9;  farewell  to  Dun- 
fermline, 10;  first  situation,  1 1 ; 
his  home,  13;  telegraph  mes- 
senger, 17;  telegraph  opera- 
tor, 20;  enters  service  of 
Pennsylvania  Railroad  Co., 
22;  first  investment,  23;  Civil 
War,  25;  sleeping  car  inven- 
tion 27;  investment  in  Oil 
Creek,  31;  enters  business  for 
himself,  34;  adopts  Bessemer 
process,  36 ;  growth  and  organ- 
ization, 38-39;  negotiations 
with  Steel  Trust,  51;  his 
profits,  52;  attitude  toward 
trusts,  53;  belief  in  yotmg 
men,  54;  his  partners,  57; 
employer  of  labor,  61-74; 
disputes  with  his  workmen, 
78-86;  his  views  on  strikes, 
88;  his  political  views,  93- 
102 ;  Anglo-American  reimion, 
105-108;  on  commercial 
methods  and  equipment,  118- 
1 26 ;  his  Gospel  of  Wealth,  1 29- 
150;  his  benefactions,  153- 
178;  Skibo  castle,  218,  221; 
his  recreation,  222;  personal 
characteristics,  224-226;  his 
favorite  literature,  227;  his 
literary  work,  181 ;  his  travels, 
228;  his  great  task  in  the 
future,  228 

Miss,  220 

Carnegie,  Mrs.,  220-221 

Steel  Co.,  45 

Ceylon,  conditions  in,  184 
Chamberlain,  Joseph,  M.P.,  97- 
98,  120,  163 


229 


230 


INDEX  {Continued) 


Charity,    indiscriminate,    139 
Church,  Mr.  Carnegie's  view  on, 

147-148 
Copartnership,  62 
Commerce,  Minister  of,   116 
Commercial  education,  1 18-123 
Competition,  effect  of,  9,   116, 

135 
Compulsory  arbitration,  89 
Conversationalist,  Mr.  Carnegie 

as  a,  226 
Correspondence,  Mr.  Carnegie's, 

149,  227 

Daily  News  Weekly,  117 

Death  duties,  137 

Dilke,  Sir  Charles,  97 

Dunfermline,  3,  8 

Mr.  Carnegie's  gift  to,  169 

Edgar  Thompson  Steel  Works, 

Z9^  47 
Elgm,  Earl  of,  169 
Emigration,  64 
Employers,  American,  70 

duty  of,  63 

England,  Mr.  Carnegie's  visit  to, 

35 
England's  danger,  114-115 

future,  113 

English  M.  P.'s,  Mr.  Carnegie's 

opinion  of ,  99 
English  race,  qualities  of,   114 

Fishing,  Mr.  Carnegie  and,  222 
Free  trade,  99 
Freedom  of  speech,  5 
Frick,  H.  C,  81,  84,  87 

Garfield,  reference  to,  188 
Garland,  Hamlin,  quoted,  65-69 
Giving,  art  of,  153 
Gladstone,  W.  E.,  95,  96,  97,  loi 

on  Mr.  Carnegie,  143 

Glasgow,  Mr.  Carnegie's  gift  to, 

158 
Golf,    Mr.    Carnegie    and,    222 
Great    Britain    and    her    com- 
merce, 113,  11$,  118,  123-126 

Homestead  Steel   Works,  45- 

46,  65-69,  81-87 
Hospitals,  145 
House  of  Lords,  95,  102 

Commons,   102 

Hughes,     Rev.     Hugh     Price, 

quoted,  143,  144 


Imperialism,  Mr.  Carnegie  and, 

102,  114,  116,  185 
India,  workmen  in,  185 
Industrious  poor,  131 
Investments,     Mr.     Carnegie's, 

22,  23,  28,  29 

Japan,  Mr.  Carnegie's  prophecy 
about,   183 

Journalism,  Mr.  Carnegie's  con- 
nection with,  21,  103 

Keystone  Bridge  Works,  33 

Labouchere,  97 

Labor,  conditions  of,  in  United 
States,  61;  treatment  of  rep- 
resentatives, 80;  his  theory 
and  practice  in  respect  to,  63- 
65;  conflicts  with,  80-88;  his 
views  on  strikes,  88,  89 

Lake  Superior,  49 

Libraries,  free,  71,  145,  157-161, 
170 

Literary  Work,  Mr.  Carnegie's, 
181 

Long  hours,  7 1 

Maclaren,  Ian,  quoted,  226 
Magazines,  influence  of,   103 
McKinley  tariff,   100 
Millionaires,   duty   of,    140-141 
Mr.    Carnegie's   views   on, 

143-144 
Missionaries  in  China,  104 
Monarchy,  hatred  of,  5,  95 
Morgan,  Mr.  Pierpont,  37 
Morley,  John,  Mr.,  M.  P.,  97 
Mother,  his,  6,  7,  8,  23 
Music,  Mr.  Carnegie's  fondness 

for,  165,  224 

New     York,     Mr.     Carnegie's 

gifts  to,  154,  157,  166 
New  York,  his  residence  in,  218 
Newspapers,    connection    with, 

21,  103 
Nineteenth    Century    and    After 

quoted,  114 
North  American  Review  quoted, 

134,  144 

Obsolete  machinery,  123 
O'Donnell    and    Homestead 

Strike,  85 


INDEX  (Continued) 


231 


Old  age  problem,  64 

Organs,  Mr.  Carnegie's  gift  of, 

146,   161 
"Our  Coaching  Trip,"  186 
extracts  from,    187-194 

Parks,  public,  146 

Parliament,  187 

Peace,  Mr.  Carnegie's  support 
of,  lOI 

Pennsylvania  Railroad  Co. ,  2 1 

Pension  fund,  Mr.  Carnegie's, 
166-167 

Philanthropy,  best  fields  for,  149 

objects  worthy  of,  145 

Philippine  War,  10 1 

Pinkerton  detectives,  82,  84 

Pittsburg  Library,  Mr.  Car- 
negie's gift  of,  157,  160 

Mr.   Carnegie's   references 

to,  II,  72,  160 

Politics,  early,  5 

Poverty,  advantages  of,  13-14, 

article  on,  132,  134 

Press,    Mr.    Carnegie    on    the 

power  of  the,  103 
Protection  duties,  99 
Pullman  car  investment,  28 
Pulpit,  Mr.  Carnegie's  views  on, 

103 

Queen  Victoria,  3 

Railway,  service  on,  25 

trucks,  English,  125 

Reading,  Mr.  Carnegie  and,  227 
Reed,  Douglas,   17 
Republican    Government,    Mr. 

Carnegie  on,  5,  93,  97 
Rockefeller,  J.  D.,  32 
Roseberry,  Earl  of,  169 
•"Round  the  World,"  181 
extracts  from,  182-186 

Salisbury,  Lord,  95 
Schemes  suggested,    173-174 
Schwab,  Mr.,  55 

Scotland,  Mr.  Carnegie  and,  194 
Scott,  Thomas,  21,  24-25 
Scottish  discontent,  4 
Universities,    his    endow- 
ment of,  162,  167 
Self-help,  153 


Shakespeare  quoted,  33 

Mr.  Carnegie  and,  227 

Shaw,  Thomas,  M.  P.,  169 
Skibo  castle,  218-219,  221-224 
Social  reform,  96 
South   African   War,   Mr.   Car- 
negie on,  loi,  115 
Speaker,  Mr.  Carnegie  as  a,  225 
Spencer,  Herbert,  Mr.  Carnegie's 

admiration  of,  105 
Steel  rails,  36 
Storey  oil  creek,  31 
Strikes,  Mr.  Carnegie  on,  88 
Students  and  their  fees,  171, 172 
Swimming-baths,  145 

Task,  his  future,  228 
Telegraph  boy,  as  a,  17-20 
Tenants,  Mr.  Carnegie  and  his, 

223 
"The  A  B  C  of  money, "  206-208 
"The  Empire  of  Business,"  206 
"The  Three-legged  Stool,"  211- 

213 
Thrift,  213 

encouragement  of,  7 1 

Trade  unionism,  77-78,  124 
Travels,  Mr.  Carnegie's,   228 
' '  Triumphant    Democracy , "    5 , 

199—200,  202 
Trusts,    Mr.    Carnegie's    views 

on,  53 

Uncle,  his,  6 

United  States,  93,  94,  99 

Steel  Corporation,  55,  168, 

217 
Universities,  145 

War,  Mr.  Carnegie's  hatred  of, 

26,  loi,  186 
Wealth,  Mr.  Carnegie's  Gospel 

of,  12,  13,  129,  150 
Wealth,  reward  of,  149 
Workmen,  duty  of,  64 

American,  69 

English,  69 

Mr.  Carnegie  and  his,  166 

Yachting,   Mr.    Carnegie   and, 

222 
Young     men,     Mr.     Carnegie's 

belief  in,  54-57,  122-123 


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